I.R. bill passes after debate is gagged.

[Matilda]

From the ABC:

"The Federal Government's industrial relations (IR) bill has passed
the House of Representatives after the debate was gagged."

(snip)

"Labor's Annette Ellis was not impressed.

"What a black day it is for democracy in Parliament" she said."


http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200511/s1502305.htm


This from the end of the article:

"After the vote, a grinning Prime Minister turned to his Workplace
Relations Minister and shook his hand."

But you know who I hate more than I hate Howard? All those cretins
who voted to give him absolute power in the Senate.

[PinkUnicorn]

1. How unsurprising

Jackboot johnny using dirt tricks to ram something through? Never...

When this passes through Senate (which I suspect it will) is there any way to roll it back?

And there are only two things which would have be anywhere near supporting this bill...

1) Find the imbeciles who love their Johnny, sit them down, and play "I'm the boss and your the worker" with them. You don't want to work Saturdays with no double time? Well then sorry...'operation reasons' means I have to let you go. Good bye

2) Be on the panel to negotiate a workplace agreement for politicians. After all as a taxpayer I AM their employer. No more perks, no trips, no super, no breaks. They will work what hours I set and be paid what I want. And no golden handshakes.

I bet if I was allowed to implement these two options I would have even Jackboot backing away.

[Matilda]

2. I admit that when it actually happened, I cried.

It is so inherently unjust, and is so alien to the concept of the
"fair go" which has been such a strong part of the Australian psyche.
I'm afraid that concept has all but disappeared.

Yes, unless Joyce crosses the floor (extremely unlikely), it will
pass the Senate. Nothing can roll it back until we get a Labor
Government - and can we trust them? After all, the groundwork for
this was laid in the 80s by Hawke and Keating with their weakening
of the trade unions. The best outcome would be if the unions can
increase their membership to a point where they once again became
a major force. I know two people who this week told me they were
going to join the unions that represent them, because they're really
worried - one is an actor, the other a teacher.

The bad news is that strikes will be all but outlawed, and there
will be huge penalties - fines and jail sentences - for union
leaders who "unlawfully" lead strike action, but Combet is saying
it's going to happen anyway. I hope they stick to their guns,
because the kind of union unrest we used to see back in the sixties
and seventies won't do Howard much good.

[Violet_Crumble]

4. Did you know about this part of the Bill?

Under the Government's proposed laws, union officials and employees will
be fined up to $33,000 simply for asking an employer to include in an
enterprise agreement provision for:

* Protection from unfair dismissal

* Union involvement in dispute resolution

* Allowing employees to attend trade union training

* Committing the employer to future collective bargaining

* Protecting job security in the event that people are replaced by
labour hire or contractors

* Any other claim the Minister decides should be illegal.

That's $33,000 for each and any of these 'offences'.

http://www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/news/1131019794_12845.html

btw, today our union rep sent us pdf's of the summaries of both the Bill and the second reading. I couldn't find a link to them on the net, so I put the files on my blog if anyone wants to read them...

http://violetcrumble.typepad.com/violets_guide_to_good_man/2005/11/summary_of_work.html

[PinkUnicorn]

5. I saw that part...

I saw that bit and it stinks to high heaven.

Basically saying "You have no rights, but what your employer decides you have. And if you bring a lawyer or union rep to the table to examine the agreement - well hit you with a fine".

Seems, Jackboot wants to make us 'competitive' by reducing wages to the level of China or Taiwan and lowering unemployment by making every career a McJob. And of course the loudest squeals will come from the morons who voted for Jackboot.

As I said before, I want to see the politicians be up for an agreement. None of this "you voted" shit. The voters (moronic as they were) selected you for the job. Now we are going to negotiate your conditions of work.

"You say we are no longer in a five day week world are we Mr Howard? You are quite correct. As such you will now work 7 days a week with none of this unproductive 'recess of parliament'. You will pay for your own travel, with reimbursement if a case can be made. Your retirement package is null and void...subject to renegotiation of course...".

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Sick Leave For Workers & Parents Subject To Punitive New Conditions

The Federal Government’s new industrial relations laws will give employers punitive new powers to demand that workers provide a medical certificate for every single day of sick leave they take the ACTU said today.

The new sick leave rules which are buried on page 117 of the Government's 'Work Choices' legislation will mean that workers taking even a single day of sick leave or a single day off to care for a sick child could have their pay docked by their employer if they don't go to the doctor and get a medical certificate.

ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said:

"These new sick leave rules are just plain mean. They will strip away workers' rights and dignity by giving punitive new powers to employers to unilaterally demand medical certificates every single time an employee is absent from work.

"This will increase costs for working families who could be forced to visit a doctor and pay $40 or $50 every time they or one of their children has even a minor illness.

http://www.actu.asn.au/work_rights/news/1131603907_8716.html

[Matilda]

6. There's so much about this bill that is just plain mean.

I think Howard is truly warped, but what about all the other
Coalition MPs - I don't think they're all monsters, but do they
also truly believe in the provisions of this bill, or are they
just too weak and scared to stand up to Howard?

I've read through a simplified version of the bill, and all I
could say was "why, why, why?". It truly reads like something out
of Dickensian London.

[foreigncorrespondent]

7. I am stunned!

I really don't kow what to say!

Well I guess this means, I am gonna have to just take the first job offered to me regardless of what I feel about the AWA's.

[Matilda]

8. That's it in a nutsehll, FC.

Howard says workers now have the flexibility to negotiate - he means
the flexibility to work or not to work.

And for anyone on any sort of jobsearch allowance, if they turn
down a job offer, the allowance will stop.