2015 - a year of contention

2015 is shaping up to be a year of high drama as far as the workforce is concerned, as unions across the nation respond to job cut announcements and employment instability indicators.

We’ve already kicked off with applications to Fair Work Australia for the right to take protected industrial action, in the case of the electricity industry; now proposed changes to the skilled migration visa scheme are being regarded as a “declaration of war on Australian workers” by the CFMEU.

According to a paper released by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, current requirements for candidates to pass language and skills tests are to be abolished, lessening the need for employers to investigate locally.

According to Michael O’Conner, National Secretary of the CFMEU, “This proposal is yet another blow that the Abbott government has dealt to Australian workers - and particularly our young people.

“It is absolute madness in the current environment, with unemployment at a ten-year high, to be removing even more opportunities for people to gain access to the workforce.

“The impact on young people will be particularly harsh. Youth unemployment is at crisis levels, yet the majority of 457 visa approvals are for people under 30.

“The free trade agreements signed with Korea and China will result in many major projects not creating one job for the local workforce. At the same time, the government’s ideologically driven destruction of manufacturing jobs is just starting to kick in, with tens of thousands expected to be out of work in the next few years.

“Add to that low commodity prices, which are already wreaking havoc, and we have the perfect storm.

“The 457 visa program needs to have requirements strengthened in the current economic climate, not relaxed.

“Allowing easier access to overseas workers will lead to even further exploitation. Already, one in five workers on 457 visas are not being paid proper wages.”

The union said weakening the language requirements was a recipe for disaster. Before the current English language standards were introduced (in September 2009), 11 workers on 457 visas lost their lives in workplace accidents in three years. All but one were from countries where English was not the first language.

“Tony Abbott and his government appear to be hell-bent on making jobs unattainable to Australian workers. They seem to have one purpose and one purpose only - to serve their mates at the big end of town,” O’Connor said.