RICHMOND Mayor John Wharton has criticised the Queensland government for not supporting a single local government award – believing it as a return to the “bad old days”. An amendment bill is expected to be introduced to Parliament this week overturning a decision by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) to pay local government employees one award rate.
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Treasurer Curtis Pitt explained in April that the government was overturning changes made to the Industrial Relations Act, 1999, made by the Newman government.
The changes reduced job security and bargain rights for employees in the public sector, Mr Pitt said.
But Cr Wharton said separate awards for his council employees would cause division and lead to job cuts in councils.
“This is not good for morale and teamwork and I have always considered every employee, whether they are inside or outside, as part of the one team,” Cr Wharton said.
“Multiple awards caused administrative and operational difficulties for councils.
“Having one award provides for significant administrative savings and greater equity for employees.”
It was also disruptive for councils that the Labor government overturned a decision by the QIRC so soon.
Going back to the old awards would cut jobs in local government which would be bad for regional communities like Richmond, Cr Wharton said.
“Once they [councils] start to put off staff, so does every other business in town and the slide is on.
“This is actually already happening in many regions now, so let’s not feed more fuel to the fire.”
A spokesman from the Local Government Association of Queensland said it was still unclear what the Labor government would propose in the legislation except it would be “significantly winding back” the industrial commission’s decision to have one award.
“The previous government paved a way for a single award which is something we have been arguing for, for quite some time,” the spokesman said.
“The economy and financial situation for councils is pretty grim and the award moderation allowed councils and workers a lot more production and efficiency.
“There was a hodge-podge of allowances and conditions under the previous system where people were working in the same job ... with different rates, but was harder for councils to administer and it was unfair for workers.”
Mount Isa Mayor Tony McGrady said he would not speak against the amendment because doing so would contradict his campaign for zone tax allowance, which would give employees in all sectors a financial incentive to move to regional communities like Mount Isa.
Before the Newman government made changes to the Industrial Relations Act there were more than 17 different awards for council employees including a locality allowance to attract qualified workers to regional councils, Cr McGrady said.
“How could I oppose such a change when I’ve been campaigning for zone allowance?” Cr McGrady said.
“I would rightly lose any credibility I would have in industrial affairs.”
