Issue
Sue Bull
Coalition declares war on unions
John Howard focused his January 8 launch of the Coalition parties' federal industrial relations policy around two promises:- to reduce the role of unions in the enterprise bargaining process;
- to guarantee workers will not be paid any less than award rates under enterprise or individual employment contracts.
- limiting the right to strike (subjecting such decisions to secret ballot and notice to bosses);
- limiting the transfer of workers from state to federal awards;
- ending payroll deductions of union dues for federal public servants;
- restricting union officials' rights to enter workplaces and carry out "political acts".
[Sue Bull is the Democratic Socialist candidate for Canberra and its industrial relations spokesperson.]