The Wire

The Howard Government has unveiled the industrial relations reforms it will introduce, once it gains control of the senate in July . The new legislation will further strip back the powers of the industrial relations commission making it a virtual bystander in industrial negotiaions and disputes. A new Fair Pay Commission will instead be awarded the power to set all award wages, while another authority will run secret ballots of workers prior to any proposed industrial action or strike. Observers note that such far-reaching changes are likely to see the current tussle between the government and the union movement intensify, with a lengthy court battle over the new powers expected. To find out why these changes are so controversial The Wire’s Sarah Bassiuoni spoke with Professor Robert Fagan from the Human Geography department at Macquarie University.