Employer Group Rejects Howard's Individual Contracts

At last an employer-backed study into the Australian Construction Industry has rejected the Howard Government's individual contracts and concedes the benefits of trade unions in making the industry more productive, the CFMEU said today.

Despite the spin by Leighton's CEO Wal King, the study from the Australian Construction Association reinforces the CFMEU view that strangling unions out of the industry will be counterproductive.

'This report is actually a slap in the face for the Howard Government and their union-busting agency, the Australian Building and Construction Commission,' CFMEU national secretary Dave Noonan said today.

The ACA study 'Four Years On' of insights from personnel in the building industry, following reforms from the Building and Construction Industry Royal Commission overwhelmingly found:

• There is a continuing role for unions in the industry,
• Many union officials are reasonable, if tough to deal with,
• Moving to individual contracts could cause instability in the industry.

'This report shows the heavy handed tactics of the ABCC will ultimately be counterproductive and it should be immediately disbanded. 'In an industry where a worker dies every week, the union has an important role to play,' said Dave Noonan.

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