Howard Government refuses olive branch over Macarthur Express
NSW Minister for Industrial Relations, John Della Bosca, said the Howard Government had revealed its callous attitude towards working families this morning by refusing to accept an offer of conciliation over the Macarthur Express dispute.
“At a hearing in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, instead of trying to find justice for the 76 owner-drivers owed almost $500,000 as a result of the collapsed trucking company, the Commonwealth argued about jurisdictional responsibilities, rejecting the offer of help,” the Minister said.
“It is crystal clear that John Howard and Joe Hockey could not give a stuff about the stress and anxiety these families have been subjected to for months now or in fact the challenges faced by all hard-working families under Work Choices.
“Mr Hockey could deliver the entitlements and wages owed to these workers, including 26 in NSW, with the simple stroke of a pen today – but he refuses to help.
“This is a national issue, with affected drivers based in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia as well, which the Howard Government has the means to resolve.
The Commonwealth’s employee entitlements scheme - better knows as GEERS - was designed for this precise situation,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“Mr Hockey is trying to dud contractors who worked for McArthur Express on the grounds that technically they’re not employees. It does not get much more shameful than this and its high time he did the right thing by these hard-working Australian families.
“These people are contractors in name only – that’s why the fair and balanced NSW industrial relations legislation deems them to be employees.
“We deem them to be employees for the purposes of the NSW Industrial Relations Act because it gives them additional protection, particularly beneficial at a time when Work Choices has cut away wages and entitlements in employment relationships.
“It follows that the Commonwealth should deem them to be employees as well.
“No State has an entitlements scheme for employees or contractors, because it would significantly harm our competitiveness against other States. That’s why the GEERS scheme was set up in the first place.
“Mr Hockey’s inability to understand his portfolio or comprehend the damage Work Choices is causing is one reason he’s facing such a serious challenge from Mike Bailey in his North Sydney seat,” the Minister added.
Media Release NSW Minister for Industrial Relation
21 November 2007
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PROTECTING AUSSIE JOBS 
