Tas "alarm bells" for penalty rates

Date: 27 June 2005

Working people in Tasmania should be very concerned about the future of penalty rates and loadings under the Howard Government's proposed changes to the industrial relations system, given Special Minister of State Eric Abetz's previous statements.

LHMU Tasmania Branch Secretary David O'Byrne today highlighted the threat to penalty rates and loadings found in a speech made by then Senate candidate Eric Abetz in 1992 to the right wing ideological think tank - the HR Nicholls Society.

"Eric Abetz clearly had penalty rates and leave loadings in his sights in 1992. There is no evidence to believe anything has changed," David O'Byrne said

"Penalty rates are a way of compensating people for working unsociable or unpopular hours or at times when most of the community is not working - such as one weekends and public holidays.

" They are a payment for working when the majority of the community is not."

"They remain a valid and justifiable feature of our wages system"

" Eric Abetz's 1992 speech reveals a singular lack of understanding of the importance of and justification for penalty rates to real working people," David O'Byrne said.

"Under the proposed changes penalty rates and loadings will be under real threat - given the five minimum conditions that the Government will establish as the floor for enterprise bargaining."

"Eric Abetz's 1992 speech to the right wing ideological HR Nicholls society is a chilling document that includes endorsement of deceptive and deliberately misleading "political speak"."

"It is a shameful exercise in political hubris."

For further information

David O'Byrne, LHMU Tasmania, 0417 374 865 or 6224 9288

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union
Phone:	8204 7206
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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