The business agenda In line with the SA Foundation's Growth for All document, business has displayed serious opposition to the Green Paper. They have constantly attempted to keep worker rights to a minimum, arguing that worker rights and labour standards prevent employment creation and economic growth. They want certain categories of workers, such as young entrants into the labour market and small and medium enterprise, to be completely excluded from the rights in the proposed new law. Flexibility Business wants greater flexibility in working time arrangements, which would allow them to increase workers' hours of work. They also want the right to lower the labour standards set out in the law through variation downwards.
Business opposes a reduction of weekly and daily hours.
They have largely rejected the 40-hour week and prefer flexible arrangements such as the averaging of working time over long periods. They prefer current overtime rates and oppose double pay for Sunday work. A reduction in the daily rate for sick leave Employment Standards Commission Business wants the ESC to have a narrower scope of operation. They do not want it to set non-wage standards but see it is a key instrument for implementing deregulation. For example, they argue that the ESC should not have the powers to set housing standards for farm workers.