'Working Carers' and IR changes
I was listening to the ABC this morning - a program about 'working carers' (people who have to work but also have an elderly or disabled person they care for.
The interviewee, who runs the working carers gateway above said that the recent IR changes had some good points for working carers. In particular, individual workplace agreements could enable workers to negotiate some added flexibility in hours or times for their situation as carers. She acknowledged that while there were some employers who would use the legislation to "screw down their workers", that most reasonable employers would not want to lose the education, training and skills represented by working carers in their employ. She mentioned the current skills shortage which puts employees in a position of strength.
That's when it hit me once again - like most of the things this government does, the IR changes probably WON'T affect those who are the well-educated, well-trained members of our workforce - those in a position to use their skills as a bargaining tool. Instead, yet again, it will be the worst off in society, those who are unskilled or lacking experience who will feel the brunt of these IR changes.
Furthermore, I was struck by the term "the reasonable employer". Of course the reasonable employer won't use the changes to "screw" her workers. But by its nature, legislation is not targetted at 'reasonable' people, but those who are unreasonable! And the Howard government's legislation just gives those unreasonable employers more power to make their worker's lives hell. Good one John!
The interviewee, who runs the working carers gateway above said that the recent IR changes had some good points for working carers. In particular, individual workplace agreements could enable workers to negotiate some added flexibility in hours or times for their situation as carers. She acknowledged that while there were some employers who would use the legislation to "screw down their workers", that most reasonable employers would not want to lose the education, training and skills represented by working carers in their employ. She mentioned the current skills shortage which puts employees in a position of strength.
That's when it hit me once again - like most of the things this government does, the IR changes probably WON'T affect those who are the well-educated, well-trained members of our workforce - those in a position to use their skills as a bargaining tool. Instead, yet again, it will be the worst off in society, those who are unskilled or lacking experience who will feel the brunt of these IR changes.
Furthermore, I was struck by the term "the reasonable employer". Of course the reasonable employer won't use the changes to "screw" her workers. But by its nature, legislation is not targetted at 'reasonable' people, but those who are unreasonable! And the Howard government's legislation just gives those unreasonable employers more power to make their worker's lives hell. Good one John!
posted by Lindsay | 10:02 am
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