Hotel lobby: WorkChoice diehards

Date: 12 March 2009

LHMU, the hospitality workers' union, says warnings of dire consequences to the hospitality industry from Australia's award modernisation process are a desperate attempt by Workchoices "diehards" to prevent fair working conditions.

Responding to media reports that John Hart of Restaurant & Catering Australia describes the new Hospitality Industries General Award as "disastrous", Louise Tarrant, LHMU National Secretary says:

"The LHMU believes that Restaurant & Catering Australia is out of step with the majority of Australia's employer organisations.

"The new Hospitality Industry (General) Award will introduce fairer minimum standards for all hospitality workers across the country in a managed way over the next five years.

"The LHMU and industry bodies have been working effectively together on the implementation of the new award. Agreement has already been reached on transitioning of the new award with a range of employers and employer organisations, including the Australian Hotels Association in Queensland and South Australia.

"As part of this process, the LHMU has a meeting with John Hart scheduled for tomorrow. I must say that his outburst is not helpful to workers in his industry or to members of his organisation.

"It's worth remembering that in the period under Workchoices without a "no disadvantage test" this industry ran a template AWA and had more AWAs than any other industry.

"So perhaps these protests are not surprising. This industry association was notorious as the most aggressive user of individual and group AWAs under Workchoices, many of which stripped away all weekend and late night penalty rates and other conditions. Workers in restaurants were among the worst affected by the excesses of Workchoices. They and their families made their disgust known at the ballot box in 2007.

"The new award redresses the excesses of Workchoices. It will introduce a national safety net for workers as well as fair compensation for casual and holiday work.

"Despite the protests of Workchoices diehards, the sky will not fall in when the new award is implemented across the country."

For further information

Contact:	Louise Tarrant
Union:	LHMU National Secretary
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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