Public sector concern over QLD work law shift
Changes to industrial relations laws have been called “WorkChoices for Queensland,” but the state’s Attorney-General says public servants’ entitlements will stay.
Queensland Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie has denied claims from the Together Union new laws will cut public sector awards, limit the employment conditions they cover, and restrict strike action.
The State Parliament has passed legislation this week aimed to bring law in line with federal legislation.
“I actually don't usually admit to this, or would not usually ordinarily positively admit to it, Mr Deputy Speaker, but a lot of these laws are a copy of federal Labor laws,” Jarrod Bleijie said.
“It provides a fair safety net of enforceable employment conditions and promotes efficiency.”
Together Union north Queensland organiser Kevin O'Sullivan called the new laws “draconian”.
“It's just stripping all the conditions of employment out of it and basically the Government will have the opportunity to change it whenever they like... This includes long service leave, rec leave - all kinds of leave and other entitlements,” he said.
“It's something that the whole of Australia hasn't seen before and I think people who actually work in state and local government should be very very concerned about this.”
Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk says Queensland public sector employees will have their entitlements torn from them.
“It will go down in history as [Premier] Campbell Newman's WorkChoices for Queensland,” she said.
“It goes even further than [former prime minister] John Howard's maligned and much-hated WorkChoices legislation,” Opposition spokesperson Curtis Pitt said.
“It undermines the conditions of low-paid, hard-working public servants.”
Queensland Council of Unions president John Battams said it the new legislation adds to the growing dissent from various sectors against the Queensland Government.
“I can tell you the groundswell of opinion against what the government is doing is growing by the day,” Battams said.
“They are only talking to the big end of town, only regard their own interests and disregard the interests of Queenslanders.
“With every new law that they pass, more people notice. I don't think you are going to see any diminution of campaigning against the government. This government has been here almost two years and we are headed to an election and we are going to be there every step of the way.”