Howard: Eight simple questions

1. Will it be possible for an employee to be worse off under the industrial relations changes?

2. Will minimum wages at least keep up with inflation, and not fall in real value?

3. Will it be possible for employers to require job applicants to sign an individual contract (AWA) in order to get the job?

4. Will it be possible for employers to refuse to collectively bargain with their employees who choose to do so, and insist instead that employees sign an individual contract (AWA)?

5. Will it be possible for employers to provide benefits to their employees who sign an individual contract (AWA), but deny these benefits to employees who choose to collectively bargain, even though the work performed by all employees is the same?

6. Is it the case that individual contracts (AWAs) need only contain the following five minimum standards - Minimum wages, Sick leave, Annual leave, Parental leave and Hours of work?

7. Is it the case that AWAs will not need to contain the following standards, nor compensate for them - Overtime penalty rates of pay, Weekend penalty rates of pay, Public holiday penalty rates of pay, Shift work penalty rates of pay, Allowances, Casual loading, Annual leave loading, Redundancy pay and Work rosters?

8. Will the Government guarantee that no employee will lose take home pay if they are required to sign an AWA?”