Howard admits he will go further on Work Choices

A few days ago John Howard claimed that his Government would not make Work Choices any worse for working families and Federal IR Minister Joe Hockey said he would resign if there were any substantial changes.

In an extraordinary back flip Joe Hockey has now foreshadowed changes to Work Choices which will take away protections from thousands of ASU members around the country should the Howard Government be re-elected. During a debate with Labor's Shadow Industrial Relations Minister Julia Gillard on 7 November, Joe Hockey stated that if re-elected the Howard Government would move to outlaw 'side' agreements - agreements that your Union the ASU and other Unions have negotiated with employers in order to protect your wages and conditions from the worst aspects of the Government's Work Choices legislation.

So intent is the Federal Government on ensuring that they get their way when it comes to stripping away workers rights and protections such as -

• unfair dismissal;
• protection from the use of individual contracts (AWAs);
• the right to collectively negotiate into the future;
• rights for Union Workplace Representatives;
• the right to have labour hire workers paid at agreement rates;
• the right to maintain your Award as the safety net; and
• protection from your employer withdrawing from your collective agreement at 90 days notice and putting you on the five minimum conditions