Page 2233 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 31 October 1989
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A further point I want to make is that the Building Workers Industrial Union, which has been singled out, is a well organised union in this town. It knows how to look after its members. I do not think the proposal by Mr Collaery will worry it. What is of concern is that the smaller and the less well organised unions will have members who may suffer as a result of this. It is not the powerful union which you are concerned about, Mr Collaery, that will be the sufferer as a result of this, but the smaller, disorganised unions. So on all these grounds I do suggest that you review your decision.
MR COLLAERY (5.10): I believe the Rally should respond to a number of comments made, particularly those by Mr Wood. I draw the attention of the house to a press release issued on 27 October 1989 at the conclusion of the debate last week on this Bill. In that press release the Rally spokesperson on industrial relations, Mr Jensen, mentioned amongst other things that the Rally will support the amendment to increase the number from 10 - it was 11 then - to 20. The Rally went on to say that it will support a gradual extension of the statutory duty of care imposed on employers by this Act to all workplaces, not just those employing 20 or more. In other words, the Rally expects that industrial harmony will result in a phased reduction of the numerical limitation.
In other words, Mr Speaker, this was not a sudden decision on the floor. This was a party room decision looking at all aspects of the matter. The BWIU, indeed, is a strong union and it is there and it has an exemplary role. It is the Rally's view that it has not always acted in an exemplary role. We were not criticising unions such as the carpenters and joiners, the painters and decorators and the others per se; we were referring specifically to the exemplary role that the BWIU should play in this matter.
It is clearly a matter of surprise to the Deputy Chief Minister and the members of the ALP that the Rally has this role in the Assembly. It is not undertaken for any power gamesmanship because clearly the Rally cannot win votes either way out of the position it has taken. It is a very difficult position to sit in the middle on issues like this. The Rally has taken a principal view that the BWIU has an extreme duty upon it; it bears the onus of acting as one of the leading unions or perhaps the most prominent and powerful union in this town in the implementation of this legislation.
I indicated very clearly that the Rally will support an amendment in due course so long as the Act is phased in and is seen to be established and accepted in the industrial workplace.
MR STEFANIAK (5.13): To close off the debate, I just remind members, especially Mr Duby, who seems to be under some misapprehension in relation to this Act, that mention
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