Labor Council draws line in sand

by Dennis Long and Kerri Carr

The NSW Labor Council has condemned Premier Bob Carr over his interference in the teachers' salaries case before the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).

Labor Council Secretary John Robertson told the strike rally of 15,000 teachers in Macquarie Street on May 27 Labor Council had "drawn a line in the sand" with the Government on the issue because of the importance of the IRC as the independent umpire.

On May 14, Mr Robertson wrote to Premier Bob Carr calling on him to withdraw the State Government's application seeking to re-open the case and to express his concern about comments in a media release dated May 11.

In the release, headed "Report confirms Teachers, Police and Nurses the best paid in Australia", Mr Carr said: "The Industrial Relations Commission simply cannot continue to hand-out unaffordable wage increases".

"Such comments are not in the best interests of harmonious industrial relations in this state," Mr Robertson said in his letter.

"The Commission always gives due consideration to the ability of employers to pay as is clear in their interim decision in this matter," he added.

Mr Robertson also said that in the Labor Council's experience it was unprecedented for a party to any proceedings to seek to have a matter re-listed, given that final submissions had concluded and a decision was imminent.

"Over the years a number of affiliates of the Labor Council have expressed concerns with some proceedings before the Commission and have contemplated having matters re-opened or decisions reconsidered. Nonetheless, it has always been the Labor Council's view that we respect the processes of the Commission as much as we respect its decisions," Mr Robertson said.

"The steps the Government has taken in seeking to have the Teachers Case re-opened could set a dangerous precedent for other matters before this Commission, particularly where parties believe that additional information has allegedly come to light that should be heard after final submissions have concluded," he added.

In addition, on May 21, Labor Council passed a motion supporting Federation's call for the Carr Government to withdraw its application to present further evidence to the IRC.

Labor Council expressed its concern about the comments made by the Premier regarding the IRC allegedly awarding unaffordable wage increases.

In moving the resolution, Mr Robertson said the Labor Council needed to "draw a line in the sand" over the Premier's treatment of the IRC.

The issue is the latest in a series of tensions between the Labor Council and the Labor Government.

At a May Day dinner earlier this year, Mr Robertson described the Carr Government as having "lost its way".

Mr Robertson referred to Premier Carr as the "King of Spin" at the strike rally in Macquarie Street.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005