THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
9/11/98

Reform to create 500,000 jobs

By David Luff in Canberra

AUSTRALIAN workers should prepare for a fresh wave of labour market changes, with the Federal Government yesterday citing a report showing 500,000 new jobs would flow from new workplace reforms.
The existing system eroded productivity and failed to remove income inequality between rich and poor, the Government said.
The renewed push came as new statistics showed one in three Australian workers put in at least 50 hours a week at the workplace, with most employees missing out on any overtime pay.
A national survey showed the 40-hour week has virtually become redundant, with almost two thirds of employees working unpaid overtime every week.
More than half of Australia's six million full-time workers toil for more than 40 hours a week, with bosses placing unrealistic expectations on their staff, according to the ACTU study released today.
ACTU secretary Bill Kelty cited the figures in highlighting the growing incidence of work overload on the average worker.
The ACTU plans a work-to-rule campaign later this week, with unions urging members to impose overtime bans and take all rostered breaks.
About a third of Australian employees work more than 49 hours a week, while the ratio of workers regularly putting in more than 60 hours a week has doubled in the past 20 years to seven per cent of the workforce.
Sixty per cent of the time put in on top of the standard working week is unpaid overtime.
"Work overload is a health and safety hazard. It is the employer's responsibility to ensure a healthy and safe place to work," Mr Kelty said.
Work ,place-related stress has been linked to heart disease, arthritis, ulcers, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and prompted suspicions of links to cancer.; according to the ACTU.
Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith cited a report by economist Des Moore advocating deregulation of the labour market - including scrapping of minimum wages.
Mr Reith said the report found high minimum wages reduced employment prospects but stressed the Government was not preparing to cut minimum wages.
Mr Moore, from the Institute of Private Enterprise, predicted deregulation of Australia's labour market would "likely result" in an extra 500,000 jobs.
Changes to unfair dismissal laws are likely to be at the top of the list of changes, with measures making it harder to dismiss employees, stopping bosses from taking on new staff, the report found.
Mr Reith said the Government would examine the report, adding "any plan to create 500,000 jobs deserves reasoned public debate."