Mr Bolger plans more union reforms

Press, 9 July 1983, Page 1

Mr Bolger plans more union reforms

Parliamentary reporter

The Minister of Labour, Mr Bolger, has other industrial relations reforms in mind in addition to youth rates and voluntary unionism.

He was looking closely at secret strike ballots and seriously considering increased financial penalties for breaches of awards, he said yesterday.

But most of his attention this year would be concentrated on the details that would make voluntary unionism and youth rates workable, and on wage-fix-ing. Backbenchers said yesterday that Thursday’s caucus also discussed lengthening the period of eligibility for redundancy pay from 12 months to two years, as an employment incentive. Mr Bolger said that by the end of the year he hoped a clear picture on long-term wage-fixing would have emerged, but he doubted that a formula from the tripartite wage-fixing committee would be ready in time for legislation to be introduced this year for recess study. Mr Bolger emphasised that a formula from the committee on long-term wage fixing was the preferred means, but that if one was not presented, the Government would have to devise one.

He hinted that industrybased bargaining would be

welcomed by the Government.

“Industry-based bargaining is very appropriate. An industry is negotiating for that industry and is conscious of the capacity of that industry to meet wage demands. It’s a sensible and logical system.” The place of the Arbitration Court was also “important in devising long term wage-fixing,” he said. In the past Mr Bolger has floated options of the appointment of an independent economist to the Court, and restored powers to make General Wage Orders, but he is known not to favour the latter.

He would not make his views known yesterday. That would prejudice the committee’s discussions, he said.

Some caucus members are interested in a court with powers to set minimum wages, above which parties can negotiate wage rates according to industry productivity, or national capacity to pay. Mr Bolger said that he had been looking at the details of secret ballots to decide strike action and a return to work.

“There is certainly wide-

spread interest in it,” he said. “We have to have a sensible balloting procedure that will work as well as satisfy the public that the workers are supporting the strike and are not just being led by their leaders.” Existing law already provided for ballots on a return to work but they were “inoperative," he said. Although he was also looking at increased financial penalties for breaches of "industrial awards, that was not an issue while the wage freeze continued. Mr Bolger said the movement out of the freeze on February 29 had to be controlled to avoid a wages break-out, and that controls would remain in some form until the permanent wagefixing regime was in place. Caucus members said a maximum concession allowed would be a limited General Wage Order.

He described as “a straw man” suggestions that levels of youth rates of pay might be pitched below the unemployment benefit, encouraging young people not to work.

Youth rates and voluntary unionism would be dealt with in separate legislation, he said.