14/9/03
The last workplace agreements in Western Australia will no longer be valid, when the new working week begins tomorrow.
Their abolition has marked a major stage in the Gallop Government's commitment to restoring fairness in the State's industrial relations system, Consumer and Employment Protection Minister John Kobelke said today.
"Many workplace agreements reduced wages and conditions for working men and women, and have been phased out in favour of a collective process which protects all parties," Mr Kobelke said.
"Since coming to Government in 2001, Labor has increased the adult minimum wage by $80 a week for Western Australia's lowest paid workers and lifted the minimum hourly rate for adult workers by 28 per cent."
Mr Kobelke said no employees have been disadvantaged as a result of the expiry of workplace agreements.
"Despite the doom-sayers, there has been a smooth transition and no obvious business bankruptcies as a result of employers having to pay award or agreement rates to their employees," the Minister revealed.
Mr Kobelke said the Labour Relations Reform Act, which took effect in July last year, stipulated a series of expiry dates for workplace agreements, depending on when they were signed or due to expire.
"Of course, employers and employees have been able to cancel their workplace agreements at any time before they expired," he said
Awards, or enterprise bargaining agreements, have been used to protect the pay and conditions of most employees.
Employers have also had the option of developing an employer-employee agreement (EEA) and offering this agreement to employees.
The Minister said the transitional provisions of the new Act had ensured that no employee was worse off following the expiry of their workplace agreement; that employers could not reduce employee wages below that being paid under the workplace agreement; and that all entitlements, such as leave, which accrued under the workplace agreement were preserved.
"Official figures show that only a very small proportion of Western Australian workers signed a workplace agreement in the eight years after their introduction. Most workers were never subject to a workplace agreement," Mr Kobelke said.
"This is a good gauge of how unpopular they were, especially given that a high proportion of the signatures were obtained under duress.
"The Gallop Government also restored the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission as an independent umpire, when dismissal disputes arise, with the power to reach quick judgements free of legal technicalities."
Mr Kobelke said the majority of fair and reasonable business proprietors have had no problems with employment standards, while the minority of unscrupulous employers have been reined in and made to account for their actions.
"Employers and employees should also be aware that they do not simply return to awards when their workplace agreements cease," he said.
"Transitional arrangements apply to safeguard agreed benefits for employees."
For information on what happens when workplace agreements end, and for other options, employers and employees should contact Wageline, at the Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, on 1300 655 266.
Minister's office: 9222 9211
