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  • Jul, 2012

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    Industrial Relations Laws

    Q. Business groups have said that Australia’s industrial relations laws favour workers and unions and should be changed so that businesses can increase productivity and have more flexibility with their workforce. Do you think Australia’s industrial relations laws favour employers or workers or do they balance the interests of workers and employers?

     

    6 Feb 12

    Total

    30 Jul 12

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Full time workers

    Part time workers

    Favour employers

    25%

    20%

    25%

    16%

    33%

    22%

    16%

    Favour workers

    24%

    26%

    12%

    43%

    14%

    29%

    24%

    Balance the interests of employers and workers

    34%

    34%

    49%

    26%

    26%

    33%

    37%

    Don’t know

    17%

    20%

    13%

    15%

    26%

    17%

    23%

    Respondents were divided over whether Australia’s industrial relations laws favour employers or workers – 20% think they favour employers, 26% favour workers and 34% think they balance the interests of both.

    Labor voters are more likely to think they balance workers and employers interests (49%) while Liberal/National voters are more likely to think they favour workers (43%). Only 12% of Labor voters and 14% of Greens voters think the laws favour workers.

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