Young workers still being ripped off under Work Choices
NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, John Della Bosca, announced today that investigations by the Iemma Government reveal young workers are still being denied proper wages and entitlements under Work Choices.
Mr Della Bosca said a sweep of 400 NSW companies over the past six months as part of a State-wide compliance blitz had shown that one in ten companies had breached industrial relations laws.
“Most businesses want to do the right thing by their workers but as a result of John Howard’s Work Choices laws they are confused and the unscrupulous have been given a green light to push the boundaries of fairness to remain competitive,” the Minister said.
“A major focus of the investigations by the NSW Office of Industrial Relations has been apprentices and trainees and food and clothing retailers – involving the checking of employment records of more than 16,000 young workers.
“The Iemma Government has put in place laws to protect young workers under 18 years of age to address the exploitation occurring under Work Choices.
“They ensure that all young people, regardless of the work contract they are on, receive wages and conditions that at least match the relevant State award and protect them from unfair dismissal,” Mr Della Bosca said.
Some examples of recoveries made by the Iemma Government for young workers under 18 years include:
• $119, 685 for 30 junior catering employees for underpayment of penalties and allowances;
• $6,147 for 10 junior club workers not being paid minimum engagement and holiday pay; and
• $2,865 for two junior catering employees for incorrect award payments.
“The alarming thing for these young workers is that a re-elected Howard Government would put in place further workplace reforms that will disadvantage hard-working Australian families even further,” the Minister said.
Treasurer Peter Costello, the future leader of the Coalition, signalled further workplace changes were in the pipeline when he told a radio host yesterday that:
“…to grow the Australian economy, in a flexible way to keep inflation down, you need a more flexible industrial relations system. I don’t think there is any doubt about that.”
- ABC 702, 6 November 2007
He has also advised he would be willing to consider extending the removal of unfair dismissal laws to cover all workplaces:
“I can’t tell you there is any magic in the number 100. If this were to work well and people were to say in the years to come it should be extended to all companies I would be very open to the idea
-ABL Insight Magazine, August 2005
“Despite the Commonwealth wasting millions of tax-payer dollars on their Work Choices hard sell, they haven’t managed to inform employers of their obligations,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“It has been over five months since the federal government introduced its so-called ‘Fairness Test’ to counter the reality that Work Choices is unfair, yet all it’s done is impose a further layer of complexity.
“Even business groups, usually staunch supporters of Mr Howard’s policies are complaining that the ‘Fairness Test’ is overly bureaucratic and plagued by delays.
“Our compliance campaign will continue well into the lead up to Christmas/New Year, a popular time for businesses to employ young staff, with more than 500 workplace inspections planned,” the Minister added.
For important information for young workers go to the Office of Industrial Relation’s Young People at Work website www.youngpeopleatwork.nsw.gov.au
7th November 2007
NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, John Della Bosca
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PROTECTING AUSSIE JOBS 
