Poll: Rudd is failing workers

A Galaxy poll of 1009 people nationwide found that Australian workers want the hated Work Choices legislation abolished immediately rather than waiting until 2010, the date set by the federal ALP for the repeal of the laws.

The poll results, released on July 15 by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), show that 73% of voters oppose any further delay in improving workers' protection from unfair dismissal, and 69% want workers' rights to bargain collectively restored straight away. These figures increased to 89% and 85% respectively among respondents who voted Labor in the 2007 federal election. Nearly two-thirds of those polled also want measures in the new legislation to restrict contractors' and labour hire companies' ability to undercut wages and conditions.

The poll clearly reveals people's frustration with the slow pace of Labor's industrial relations reforms and the lack of action on PM Kevin Rudd's election promise to "rip up" Work Choices. To date, Labor has left 95% of the Work Choices legislation intact.

Contrary to the government's rhetoric, the Transition to Forward with Fairness Bill, passed by federal parliament on March 19, continues to allow statutory individual contracts (Australian Workplace Agreements) and maintains many restrictions on trade unions, including the requirement for a secret ballot of members before industrial action can be taken and the severe restrictions on union officials' right of entry to workplaces.

Labor's new bill also fails to restore unfair dismissal provisions. Sixty four percent of poll participants disagree with workers in small businesses having to wait for a year before being covered by unfair dismissal provisions. The federal government has explicitly ruled out reintroducing unfair dismissal laws until January 2010.

The poll also indicates that a majority of people want workplace agreements to include measures tackling climate change and other issues currently deemed "prohibited content".

From GLW issue 759