Portfolio Media

Union henchmen – coming to a small business near you

04 September 2009

Labor’s Fair Work Act has flung open the door of small businesses across Australia to union bovver boys, says Shadow Small Business Minister Steven Ciobo.

Mr Ciobo said today’s News Ltd report of union bosses using standover tactics and demanding a Sydney business hand over its confidential business records confirm Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s Fair Work legislation has rolled out the red carpet for union heavies in the workplace.

“Basically Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his Deputy PM have handed the keys to the doors of every small business around the country,” Mr Ciobo said.

“This is a sad return to the bad old days where unions are given the blessing of Labor to stand over small businesses and demand access to their confidential documents.

“If things weren’t tough enough for Australia’s small businesses, they are now being further choked by Julia Gillard’s workplace laws. And next year they can look forward to her gift of award modernisation regime which is becoming messier, more confusing and contradictory by the week.

“In March, Deputy PM Gillard told the ABC the Coalition was waging a scare campaign over union rights of entry into the workplace. Well, she’s proven the nation’s small businesses should be scared - very scared.

“The Coalition warned that unfettered and heavy-handed union presence in the workplace would happen, and every small business has the right to be worried about their future under Labor – and when Australia’s 2 million-plus small businesses suffer, jobs disappear in their thousands.”

“Will the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister please explain to the Australian people why they thinks it is appropriate and necessary for unions to be able to demand that small businesses hand over their confidential documents.”