The federal government's proposed IR laws will adversely affect ethnic workers and immigrants, many of whom are employed in low-skilled, low-paid jobs, according to the NSW Ethnic Communities Council (ECC).

In a statement issued on November 2, the ECC expressed its fears that in the future, the new Fair Wage Commission will not provide these people with the minimum wages necessary to maintain reasonable standards of living. “Keeping minimum wages low appears to be purpose of the new Fair Wage Commission”, the ECC said. “Otherwise, what's the point of setting up this new body to do the same job currently done by the [Industrial Relations Commission]?

“We are also concerned that many in the ethnic community will not understand the complicated changes to their working conditions. For such a fundamental change to the industrial relations system, it would have been appropriate to provide information about Work Choices in different languages. Instead, the government produces a 68-page booklet which is beyond the reading ability of most Australians, not to mention Australians from non-English speaking backgrounds.

“Other advertisements about Work Choices on television or newspapers are one-sided and totally uninformative and do not assist people to understand changes to their rights.”

Justin Li & Philip Prideaux

From Green Left Weekly, November 9, 2005.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

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