O'Farrell Government Passes Industrial Relation Laws
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The O\'Farrell Government today passed its Industrial Relations Amendment (Public Sector Conditions of Employment) Bill 2011 – giving itself the power to cut the wages and conditions of nurses, teachers, firefighters, bus drivers and other public sector workers.
The Bill passed the Lower House 64 votes to 23.
"This legislation is sending the workplace rights of NSW nurses, teachers, firefighters and other public sector workers back to the dark ages," Opposition Leader John Robertson said.
"Under the new laws, public sector workers will no longer have access to an independent Industrial Relations Commission.
"Wages and conditions are also under threat, because the laws prevent workers from receiving wage increases in line with the rate of inflation unless they make productivity savings first.
"The Premier has ignored the 12,000 nurses, teachers, firefighters, police officers, bus drivers and public sector workers protesting against these laws and passed them anyway.
"The Government has moved to shut down any review of this legislation, gagging debate in the Upper House and issuing directives to workers to try and bully them into not attending the rally at Parliament House.
"It is no surprise the Government has done all it could to stop public scrutiny - this amendment gives the power that has been balanced between the Government, workers and courts for close to a century directly to the Premier and his Ministers.
“The Australian Council of Trade Unions has also revealed the O’Farrell Government’s changes to workplace laws could be in breach of international law and the obligation to respect human rights, including labour rights.
"Premier O\'Farrell did not take these laws to the election and he has no mandate to introduce them."