Well Done Conservatives

[POWERZONE]

You are not using my logic correctly. I have never supported the AWU or any union trading away penalty rates. I have however used that as an example as to how flexible our IR laws were without the need for changes such as cutting Sunday rates with no compensation whatsoever. You yourself were a beneficiary of the ability to exchange your penalty rates for a better overall package.


That is one of the reasons why this paranoia about watering down the tribunal is a bit misplaced. The FWA didn't exist 9 years ago. Prior to that we had a system where mandated minimum wages were set by the IRC and other allowances like penalty rates, holidays, sickies etc were set into legislation and voted for democratically by the people. It was a system that worked well until the Howard Govt abolished the entire safety net with their Workchoices policy which was about as compromised as you can get given that it wasn't taken to an election.

 

I personally don't have a problem with Fairwork setting minimum wages as long as it's fair.

 

But penalty rates or any other safety nets shouldn't be changed unless it's done democratically and I suspect it's this area that will form the basis of Labor's IR policy at the next election.