Australian Unions Go on Offensive over Labour Reform

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has put in play an A$8 million advertising campaign against the Howard government’s sweeping industrial relations reforms.

The radio and television campaign began 19 June and runs intensely this week, a National Week of Action in which 30 June—a day before testy conservatives take hold of the Australian Senate—is designated a national strike day. On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of workers will strike by massing in major cities, despite threats by the Howard labour ministry that steep fines will be given to those workers that strike illegally. Howard’s agenda is to limit collective bargaining by expanding the use of individual contracts with workers, reduce minimum wage levels, and abolish the federal states’ industrial relations systems. He’s needlessly agitated trade unions by making the country’s 38-hour workweek now open for discussion.

Trade unions behind the ACTU now have an important ally on their side, academia. Industrial relations experts at Australian universities have formally banded to disparage Howard’s reforms, predicting they will weaken workplace fairness and not have a positive effect on economic productivity or job growth.