Using an employees rights at law

The Howard Government, its sly and inexperienced industrial relations minister, Kevin Andrews, along with its business mates have long had a wish list to pull the teeth of trade unions and demolish rates of pay downwards to compete with Chinese and Indian workers (well - slave labour would be preferable). They have taken their opportunity with control of the Senate since July 1 2005.

The Government, with the assistance of lawyers from major law firms like Mallesons, has brought industrial relations under corporations law - an action undergirded by sheer mendacity and venality. It has sought to expose trade unions and individual employees to extreme legal sanctions - but the bite back might be coming. Individuals may try to assert their legal rights in the courts where bigger pay outs are possible - far larger payouts than under the previous industrial relations system. Now the employers who have done their best to dismantle what equity there is or was in Australia's system of of industrial are complaining. Again! Still!

Now - don't just sit there and say that's great. At least there is another avenue. If this becomes an avenue for righting wrongs for a large number of people, how long before there is legislation to close this off? The states have closed off various avenues previously available for people to mount negligence claims. The states have closed off much availability previously available for compensation for work related injuries.

Don't think that

this venal government will not close off the rights of employees to equity.