Jumping ship

THE State Government’s abolition of workplace agreements may not be set in stone yet, but businesses are already jumping from the flexible industrial relations system.

Figures released by the Commissioner of Workplace Agreements indicate applications to register workplace agreements that replace State Awards had fallen by a third for the period from July 1 to the end of January compared with the previous corresponding period.

Added to this, 51 per cent fewer employers have chosen not to enter the workplace agreements system. During the period, 36,021 applications were received, comprising of 32,379 individual agreements, 56 collective agreements and 1,004 agreements to cancel existing workplace agreements.

“The community and the Government are heading in opposite directions – and it’s the Government that’s got it wrong,” Opposition Labour Relations spokesperson Cheryl Edwardes said.