Fed: Six different IR systems a nonsense NFF

AAP General News (Australia)
12-21-1999
Fed: Six different IR systems a nonsense NFF

The National Farmers Federation says Australia's industrial relations system should
be simplified to a single jurisdiction.

And, it says, any moves by the new Victorian government to turn the clock back and
reinstate its industrial relations commission would be a blow to the movement for a unitary
Australian system.

The federation's industrial spokesman RICHARD CALVER says the necessity for Australia
to maintain six different systems of industrial relations is a nonsense.

He says all sectors of the economy operate across state boundaries and in international
markets, making parochial state-based industrial systems increasingly irrelevant.

A single system would overcome the problems of a multiplicity of awards which farmers
had to deal with when paying employees.

Last week, Federal Treasurer PETER COSTELLO proposed to lower wages for unemployed
rural workers, to stimulate demand for labour in regional Australia.

Mr CALVER says while the NFF isn't advocating a reduction in wages for rural workers,
it wants far more flexibility in the workforce.

AAP RTV dep/jn

KEYWORD: INDUSTRIAL NFF (CANBERRA)

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