R M I T Speech
1 like417 views
The document discusses several proposals related to education and labor policies in Australia: 1) It calls for restoring public funding to universities, abolishing student fees, and increasing support for regional education to promote accessibility. 2) Studies from the University of Sydney found that under existing labor laws, many collective agreements led to cuts in pay and benefits like overtime rates. 3) A proposed "Forward with Fairness" plan outlines expanding basic worker protections like unfair dismissal laws and collective bargaining rights. 4) The Socialist Alliance proposes immediately ending existing labor laws, abolishing individual contracts, and strengthening unions and worker rights.
R M I T Speech
- 1. Education Restore public funding to 90%+ of global university budgets Restore indexation of grants Reversal of privatisation Boost funding to regional universities/campuses to limit disadvantage Abolish HECS and full-fee places. Initiate negotiations to end TAFE fees Rescind voluntary student unionism legislation Education as overseas aid
- 2. University of Sydney’s Workplace Research Centre Study of the hospitality and retail industries – 339 collective agreements struck during the first nine months of operation of the Workchoices law Abolition of Saturday penalty rates in 76% and Sunday penalty rates in 71% Abolition of overtime rates in 68% Overall pay cut by up to 38%
- 3. University of Sydney’s Workplace Research Centre Australia@Work: the Benchmark First year of five of operation of project, following 8343 people
- 4. Forward with Fairness Policy Implementation Plan Forward with Fairness Policy Implementation Plan Ten minimum employment standards guaranteed for all employees (up from five currently) The right to collective bargaining by majority employee decision Unfair dismissal laws reintroduced for businesses of 15 or more Basic awards with up to 20 conditions (to act as a safety net)
- 5. Forward with Fairness Policy Implementation Plan Existing Work Choices laws in relation to union officials’ right of entry to workplaces Existing AWAs to stand for up to five years — until December 31, 2012 Employers currently using AWAs - permitted Individual Transitional Employment Agreement (ITEA) for all new employees - until December 31, 2009 Employees above $100,000 per annum (basic salary) exempt from all awards
- 6. Socialist Alliance Immediately end Workchoices and Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements Abolish AWAs without delay Remove restrictions on the terms of collective agreements Return to a system of industrial awards Set the minimum wage at 60% of Average Weekly Earnings Dissolve the Australian Building and Construction Commission Free entry into workplaces Protection of the right to strike at International Labor Organisation standard Bill of Rights including right to freely organise in unions Industry-wide protections for academic freedom