Claims about Industrial Relations Act reforms wrong

It was ridiculous to suggest that the Government would not go ahead with its commitment to reform the Industrial Relations Act, Productivity and Labour Relations Minister Yvonne Henderson today.

"We welcome the opportunity that the State Wage Case has opened up for employers and unions to take up the challenge of enterprise bargaining," Mrs Henderson said today.

"Suggestions from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry that the reforms allowing enterprise bargaining would be scuttled are a nonsense.  There will be no backdown.

"As the Premier said in the economic development statement last week, legislation is to be introduced in the autumn session of Parliament which will facilitate enterprise bargaining.

"The Government will decide on the most appropriate way to amend the IR Act to accommodate enterprise agreements.

"There is no doubt that enterprise agreements can be accommodated under existing provisions of the Act.

"But in the State Wage Case decision handed down on January 31, the State Industrial Relations Commission highlighted shortcomings in the Act that needed to be addressed.

"The Government has undertaken to do this."

Mrs Henderson said that talks on a suitable framework for enterprise bargaining had been held through the Tripartite Labour Consultative Council.

"The Government sought the views of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Trades and Labor Council.

"Consultation on this issue is vital if it is to lead to a new emphasis on co-operation between workers and employers in the workplace.

"Benefits will include greater productivity, competitive industry and more satisfying jobs," Mrs Henderson said.

In future, wage negotiations at both Federal and State level will be conducted on the basis of negotiations between individual employers at an enterprise and industry unions formed into a single bargaining unit.

Wage increases will be based on efficiency measures designed to effect real gains based on productivity.