Low-paid women in the textile, clothing and footwear industry are worse off than most under Work-Choices, two industry unions say.
The unions will lobby Labor MPs this week to pressure the Rudd Government to restore more worker-friendly laws, as Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard puts the finishing touches on legislation designed to replace WorkChoices.
In a booklet to be issued today, Untold Damage: Why women need new IR laws, the unions reveal seven case studies which show that women have been ''ripped off'' and lost their jobs, shift allowances and penalty rates under WorkChoices.
The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia and the Australian Services Union published the booklet in the belief that the full impact of WorkChoices on low-paid women workers is yet to be revealed.
Australian Services Union Victorian branch secretary Ingrid Stitt said yesterday she was concerned the new laws, to be introduced into Parliament in the next few weeks, would not be strong enough to protect the low paid.
''We know the Government is close to finalising its new IR laws and we need to make sure that, amongst all the negotiations, the stories of the workers affected most by Work-Choices are told and that our politicians are held to account,'' she said. ''Our politicians cannot miss the opportunity that they have now to make the working lives of women in Australia a whole lot better.''
The unions are the latest, after manufacturing and building unions, to come to Canberra with the aim of convincing the Government to shift the industrial relations balance further in favour of workers' rights.
Ms Gillard has flagged that the new Bill will be introduced before the end of the year and the Government will support a Senate inquiry into the Bill, which means it might not be passed until Easter next year.
The textile, clothing and footwear industry employs about 48,000 Australians, mostly low-paid women, with plants located in many regional areas in southern states.
A Government review last month recommended further cuts to tariff protection.
Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union national secretary Michele O'Neill said WorkChoices had had a huge detrimental effect on women employed in smaller companies, particularly in part-time or casual positions. ''WorkChoices took away their protections from unfair dismissal, it has removed decent standards, reduced the ability to collectively bargain and stopped my union being able to enter sweatshops and check workers' pay and conditions.'' She said now was the time for the Labor Government to make a real and lasting difference.
''We are calling on Julia Gillard to go further than her public statements and deliver substantial law reform for working women.''
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff