The kids aren't all right

Recent polling has shown significant numbers of young voters are drifting away from the Government because of its controversial workplace laws.

Internal Coalition research shows that more than 10% of 25-34 year-old voters have shifted their support away from the Government and towards Kevin Rudd.

The report identified the Government's poor handling of workplace relations and climate change as the two key vote-changers among younger people.

"It's no surprise that WorkChoices is unpopular with young people," says CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones. "Young workers are already vulnerable and have only limited bargaining power. Under WorkChoices they can be left completely exposed."

Stephen Jones points to recent examples of young workers getting the short end of the WorkChoices stick, such as:

* teenage staff on AWAs at Chili's restaurant chain who were required to use their own money to cover customers who skipped out without paying the bill
* hospitality staff at the Mean Fiddler Hotel losing public holiday penalty rates on Anzac Day, while their employer continued to impose a 10% surcharge on patrons
* call centre operator Excellior using WorkChoices to reduce pay rates and conditions of its young workforce in Bendigo and the Gold Coast.

"Parents with kids entering the workforce are deeply concerned that the current workplace laws offers them little protection from unscrupulous employers. How would you feel if your kids were treated this way,?" said Mr Jones..

"We are encouraging workers of all ages to ensure they are correctly enrolled to vote at the coming election. The outcome of this election will not only determine what sort of workplaces current employees have, but the shape of employment conditions for generations of future workers.

"At the last election no-one got to vote on WorkChoices. This time we do," said Mr Jones.

Have your say - post your comments below.

Is John Howard awake or asleep on climate change?

Rarely has someone been converted from self-professed "climate change sceptic" to eco warrior so quickly as John Howard. Or has he? You be the judge on YouTube. Have a look and let us know what you think.

John Howard asleep on climate change?

John Howard awake on climate change?

Young workers burnt by Chili's individual contracts

Teenagers on AWAs at a restaurant chain are being required to fork out their own money to cover customers who skip away without paying the bill.

In addition to picking up the tab of customers who do a runner, the young workers were expected to kick in $50 of their own money at the beginning of each shift for cash floats.

Employees would only start to get paid once customers arrived, with some waiting up to 45 minutes after clocking on before the $13.44* per hour started to kick in.

Many were often only offered shifts that lasted two hours in total. "Most of the time I was given only two-hour shifts, meaning I got just $26.88 a night," former employee Alice McCarthy told the Daily Telegraph.

"I was excited to land a job at Chili's...(but) sadly, my enthusiasm and excitement over my new job was quickly dampened by the harsh realities of the conditions of my employment," she said.

"I didn't really understand the implications of the AWA at first, " Alice said. "I thought it would not really make a difference to my working conditions. I also believed that the whole fuss about the WorkChoices laws was created by politicians wanting votes. But I was wrong because the AWA I had signed really did make a difference to the job."

The ACTU described the situation as "further evidence of how vulnerable young workers have lost rights under John Howard's IR laws," as they launched a new advertisement highlighting the growing concerns of older Australians and working parents.

The ad portrays three generations of the same Australian family, with a grandfather character explaining that his generation 'fought for things like regular working hours, penalty rates and redundancy pay' while his daughter and grandson worry they are losing their rights at work.

"There are very strong concerns about the IR laws among older Australians and parents who are worried about how their children are being treated in the workplace under the new IR laws," ACTU President Sharran Burrow said.

* Following a recent decision by the Fair Pay Commission, the minimum wage will jump to $13.92, effective 1 October 2007.

• What you can do: Tell Chili's what you think by sending them an e-mail.
• ACTU advertisement: Watch the latest ACTU ads online here.
• More information: Read the Daily Telegraphs report here.

Your say on new ACTU ads

As the election draws closer, the ACTU has launched a new series of hard-hitting Your Rights At Work television commercials.
In the first ad, Annette Harris talks about her experience at Spotlight where she was offered an AWA individual contract that removed penalty rates, overtime and meal breaks - all for an extra 2 cents an hour.
In the second ad, a grandfather talks about how - under WorkChoices - his children and grandchildren have lost the workplace rights his generation had fought so hard for.

Spolight on fairness: Annette Harris ad.

Grand dad ad.

Anger as workers' insurance reduced

COMMONWEALTH public servants are no longer entitled to claim damages for accidents on the way to work or during lunch breaks after an overhaul aimed at slashing the cost of their compensation scheme. (By Annabelle Crabb SMH 04 July 2007)