United Voice News
Tony Abbott's WorkChoices backflip breaches competition laws
One of Australia's largest unions, the LHMU, said today that Tony Abbott's latest backflip on WorkChoices potentially breaches the competition law and even the Trade Practices Act
Louise Tarrant, National Secretary of LHMU said "Tony Abbott's position on industrial relations and the re-introduction of WorkChoices is changing by the minute, he just can't stick to his word.
"We have received legal advice that his latest policy – requiring unions to pay to use the services of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) at commercial rates to conduct internal union ballots – is potentially unlawful.
"We have been advised that in circumstances where the AEC 'must' conduct union elections, the requirement that unions pay for this service is potentially a contravention of the Trade Practices Act. Our advice goes further to say that if the Coalition wished to unequivocally avoid this consequence, it would be necessary to amend the Fair Work Act to make clear that unions can select any provider of electoral services rather than use the AEC.
'If the Coalition introduced this policy we would be asking the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to have a good, hard look at it.
"It is quite ironic that a Union has to explain the basic principles of market competition to the Liberal Party.
"This is policy on the run from the Liberal Party. Tony Abbott and the Coalition cannot be trusted on industrial relations, their track record and their statements yesterday show that they will use any method to bring back the worst elements of WorkChoices and workers and their families will suffer as a result.
"Will Tony Abbott also rule out making changes to the Trade Practices Act as he did on Monday with the Fair Work Act?" asked Ms Tarrant.
