Govt Move To Deny Pay Rise For 1.6 Million Workers An Abuse Of Power

02 December 2004
From ACTU http://www.actu.asn.au/public/news/1101961598_23184.html

The Howard Government's move to delay the national minimum wage case until after the May Federal Budget would deny 1.6 million low paid workers a pay rise and is an abuse of its power says the ACTU.
Responding to the proposal announced today by Minister Kevin Andrews ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said:
"Unions will strenuously oppose the Government's move to delay the minimum wage case in a hearing before the Australian Industrial Relations Commission tomorrrow (Friday 3 December).

The ACTU is concerned that the Government wants to delay the minimum wage case until after 1 July 2005 when it will control both Houses of Parliament and can bring in laws that would make it almost impossible for low paid workers to get a pay rise.

This would be an unacceptable abuse of power striking at the lowest paid most hard working Australians.
It would also be a salutary lesson in the Howard Government's true character and its values if the first thing it did with its new-found Senate majority was to deny the lowest paid Australians their one opportunity each year for a pay rise.
The Government says it wants to delay the minimum wage case until beyond the May Budget until new economic forecasts are available but Australia's economic growth is still strong and even the Government acknowledges that unemployment is at historic lows.
All of the facts and all of the economic forecasts are carefully considered by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in the minimum wage case.

There is no credible evidence that rises in minimum wages in the recent years have had a negative impact on jobs growth - pay rises for the low paid in award-reliant industries have not cost jobs. And yet the Government still wrongly asserts the contrary.

This move speaks volumes about the Government's dishonesty.

For the whole election campaign the Government trumpeted the strength of the economy and less than two months later it now says low paid workers should not benefit from the economic growth they have helped generate."