Research finds employment rights cut during Coalition years

Over the last six weeks, 30 academics have been considering the most comprehensive analysis of the independent research on the impact of the Howard Government’s workplace laws ever undertaken.

The research did not just focus on the Work Choices years but on developments since 1996.

The academic research establishes the following:

1. These laws contributed to a decisive shift in the balance of power away from employees and institutions protecting them (e.g. tribunals and unions) and towards employers.

2. This was primarily as a result of:
(a) reductions in enforceable rights and obligations at work - especially those concerning unfair dismissal rights and penalty rates for working anti-social hours

(b) the introduction of new forms of agreement (e.g. individual contracts and employer greenfield agreements) which worked to increase options for employers and enabled long established conditions to be removed.

3. For workers with limited bargaining power there was almost no improvement in formal employment conditions as a result of these agreements. The workers most adversely affected were:

4. There were also dramatic changes in the role of independent institutions involved with work rights. For example, those associated with setting new standards (e.g. the Industrial Relations Commission and unions) had their powers significantly reduced.

These conclusions are based on an analysis of just under 300 separate articles, books and research reports produced by academics over the last decade.

A comprehensive summary of this material was prepared by a team of researchers from Monash University. Their work was then debated at three workshops of academics held in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. A commentary on this work, that integrated findings from the workshops, was prepared by researchers from the University of Sydney.

A member of the Monash team, Professor Richard Mitchell, said, "While there is still plenty of room for further work, the academic research unequivocally shows that employers were the clear winners under the Coalition’s employment laws."

His colleague at Monash, Dr Anthony Forsyth, noted that, "While the Howard Government did boost resources devoted to enforcement agencies such as the Office of Workplace Services, many long established employment conditions were eroded during the years of the last Federal Coalition Government."

The Director of the Workplace Research Centre at the University of Sydney, John Buchanan , organised the workshops to debate the findings of the Monash team. He said, "There was a high level of agreement amongst the academic research community on the impact of the Coalition’s employment laws. Academics set high standards for research and debate which often results in controversy and nit picking. On this issue, however, the evidence is clear and agreement widespread."

Media enquiries: Dr John Buchanan, 0418 207 945