Extract from ABC News website:
Updated
The Federal Government says the Productivity
Commission will undertake a "comprehensive" review of workplace laws,
sparking union warnings that "everything is up for grabs".
Fairfax
Media is reporting that the commission's draft terms of reference for
the inquiry include penalty rates, pay and conditions, unfair dismissal,
enterprise bargaining flexibility and union militancy.The report says the inquiry is to be framed around "fair and equitable pay and conditions for employees" including maintaining "a relevant safety net".
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has accused the Government of being "intent on lowering living standards".
But Workplace Minister Eric Abetz says the terms of reference have not been finalised and he is still consulting with the states.
He says the terms of reference will be in line with what the Coalition promised at the last election.
"We're not doing anything more, anything less other than undertaking a comprehensive review of the laws and a thorough analysis, which is exactly what we promised," he told the ABC's AM program.
"We went to the people at the last election promising a thorough review and that is what we'll have.
"What we're doing is giving an independent body that has a reputation for social sensitivity and economic robustness the opportunity to advise as to future direction for workplace relations laws."
Senator Abetz says the Government will not intervene in penalty rates, saying they should be set by the independent Fair Work Commission.
Government 'intent on lowering living standards'
But ACTU president Ged Kearney says the Abbott Government is determined to "weaken the industrial relations system" and force wages lower."What we have here with this Productivity Commission review is a wide-ranging terms of reference that will throw everything onto the table. It means everything is up for grabs," she said.
"Now everything that this Government has said about industrial relations shows so far shows that they are absolutely 100 per cent intent on lowering people's wages.
"They have time after time refused to say that they do not want to get rid of penalty rates and we know in fact that they do. Several of their backbenchers have said so.
"They are intent on lowering Australian workers' standards of living."
The Productivity Commission enquiry is due to report back in April 2015, with the next federal election due around August 2016.
Senator Abetz said proposals arising from the review would be considered and, "if we adopt them, we will take them as part of our policy platform to the next election".
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