The advocate for the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Reg Hamilton, told the Australian Industrial Relations Commission there were no grounds for the union claim, which was equivalent to its total award between 1993 and 1995. Evidence that the chamber would present to the commission when it considered the ACTU's claim next year would show that the probation plan could slice at least 1 per cent from Australia's 7per cent jobless rate. We're saying the ACTU's application should be deferred until after our probationary concept is tried.
Small employers are often scared to take new people on.
The banks are breathing down their necks. This is a way of making things a bit easier. Its timing is inappropriate and there are no grounds for it. Ms George said given that the big pay increases awarded to business executives, public service heads and politicians, lower-paid workers had every right to a pay rise to keep their wages in line with community standards. Ms George said falling minimum wages would threaten the buying power of lower-paid workers and raise serious questions of social equity.