Unions and Industrial Relations Legislation: The Past and the Future

Abstract

Over 100 trade unionists, labour activists and labour historians gathered at the Terminus Hotel, Brisbane 12 March 2005 to discuss the Federal Government's anticipated industrial relations legislation once it gains control of the Senate in July. The event was organised by Greg Mallory and the executive of the Brisbane Labour History Association. The day began with a welcome to country by Bob Anderson, who reflected on the role of Aboriginal people as both workers and unionists in Australia. Then Margaret Lee, labour lawyer, gave a lucid outline of the anticipated reform agenda, based on her reading of the 40 bills rejected by the Senate since 1998 as well as recent public statements by the Howard Government. The prospect of even greater stripping back of awards, further restrictions on industrial action and the involvement of unions in bargaining and a unitary system of arbitration in place of the existing Federal-State systems adds up to a challenging time ahead for Australia's unionists and workers. Indeed, it was generally agreed that the Howard Government was about to launch the greatest assault on the union movement since the suppression of the great strikes of the 1890s. The next speaker was the legendary Jack Mundey, veteran of the Green Bans campaigns of the 1970s. Although still recovering from surgery, Jack gave an inspiring speech, reminding the audience of the victories that are possible for unions when they widen their agenda to include concerns beyond the narrowly economic: the environment and civil liberties, for instance. When unions have done this in the past, he argued, they have been able to secure valuable allies for workers outside the union movement. He also reminded the audience of the need for solidarity in the face of the coming challenges. In response, Andrew Vickers, representing the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Engineering Unions (CFMEU), also struck a positive note, pointing out that employers only launch anti-labour offensives in times of economic decline, so the current relatively comfortable economic climate may blunt the zeal for implementing the new legislation. I attended the conference as the President of the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History. After lunch, I spoke, offering my thoughts on the role that labour history can play in the future of the labour movement. I stressed the importance of alliances between academics and unionists in researching and disseminating labour history, both amongst workers and the wider community. Hughie Williams, Federal President of Queensland Secretary of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), with his usual wry humour, offered some valuable suggestions regarding industrial action, particularly in regard to securing public support. Like the TWU, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) finds itself a particular target of the Howard Government. Howard Guille, Queensland State