Carter, John (SEN)
From:	Luke Selleck [lukesell@melbpc.org.au]
Sent:	Tuesday, 23 May 2000 11:06 PM
To:	eet.sen@aph.gov.au
Subject:	Workplace Relations Amendment Bill 2000
23 May, 2000

Luke Selleck

23 Ferndale Road

Upper Ferntree Gully

Vic, 3156

The Secretary

Senate Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and 

Education Legislation Committee

S1.61 Parliament House

Canberra ACT, 2600

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to express my opposition to the proposed Workplace Relations Amendment Bill 2000. This bill is an affront to basic and fundamental democratic rights to protected collective industrial action. It is an attack upon the principle of collectivism, an important component of a fair, just and democratic society. 

Industry wide, or pattern bargaining, is a long established and legitimate industrial tactic. It must be protected. The proposed restrictions in the Bill are totally unacceptable.

The new laws would give the Supreme Court greater powers to grant injunctions against industrial action and increase the powers of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to stop industrial action in support of industry-wide claims. The proposed laws would breach International Labor Organisation conventions and are totally illegitimate and unacceptable. 

The clear anti-union and anti-democratic bias in the Bill is further evident in the provision that a bargaining period must be terminated if a union (but not an employer) has engaged in pattern bargaining. 

The Workplace Relations Amendment Bill 2000 should be rejected in its entirety.

Yours sincerely

 

Luke Selleck