Inside ‘gorilla’ plan to derail Albo

The “unfortunate” use of the term “corporate gorillas” might have raised eyebrows, but it won’t deter the resources sector in its fight against Labor’s industrial relations reforms.

The Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association’s chief executive, Steve Knott, earlier this month threatened to stage a campaign worth more than $20m against Labor’s Secure Jobs, Better Pay legislation.

Speaking to The Australian newspaper, Mr Knott said there were “enough corporate gorillas in the mining, oil and gas sector” who were unhappy with Labor’s Bill to fund a campaign “like the mining tax campaign but on steroids”.

AREEA launched TV, radio and newspaper ads warning viewers against Labor’s laws last week.

The peak body for employers in the resources sector wouldn’t confirm the cost of its “rolling” campaign on Monday.

AREEA’s head of public affairs, Tom Reid, said Mr Knott’s use of the phrase “corporate gorillas” was “unfortunate” but he wouldn’t apologise for going ahead with the ad campaign.

“Steve was, like many business leaders, very shocked at the size of the Bill,” Mr Reid said under questioning at a Senate inquiry into the legislation on Monday.

“It threatens to make significant changes within a very short period to our industrial relations system that will completely change the way many workplaces go about setting terms and conditions.”

Asked at the hearing about how much revenue some of AREEA’s members earned and how much tax they paid, Mr Reid said he had “limited insights” on the matter.

AREEA has joined other business groups in raising concerns about the expansion of multi-employer bargaining included in Labor’s new industrial relations laws.

The changes to multi-employer bargaining will make it easier for workers at multiple businesses to bargain together for higher pay and better conditions — as long as the majority of employees at each company agrees to do so.

But business groups say they fear the changes could expose employers to wide-scale industrial action and unworkable deals.

Labor’s 249-page Bill includes many other reforms, such as making workplaces more flexible and enshrining gender pay equity as an objective of the Fair Work Act.

AREEA and the Minerals Council of Australia have both called for Labor’s legislation to be split to allow more time next year for parliament to scrutinise the Bill’s more contentious elements.

Australian Council of Trade Unions national secretary Sally McManus said the reality was that employer groups would never agree to laws passing which made it “a bit easier” for workers to get a raise.

“I’ve heard those employer arguments and it seems to be premised on things that just aren’t true, the main one being that these laws are going to affect small businesses. Well, they’re not,” she said.

She said the mining industry’s money would be better spent on giving people pay rises than running an ad campaign.

Employment Minister Tony Burke has already made a raft of changes to the industrial relations legislation in response to concerns from employer groups.

Earlier this month, Mr Burke accused AREEA of staging a “political campaign”, saying the mining group hadn’t spoken to the government about its concerns like many other business groups had.

“I don’t know if that’s what their membership thinks they’re paying for, but whether it’s BCA, COSBOA, ACCI, Australian Industry Group, all those groups have been engaging,” Mr Burke told Sky News.

“They’ll still be upfront about what they oppose in the Bill, but (they’re) trying to get outcomes for their members.”

Mr Burke has stressed the need to “get wages moving again” as quickly as possible, given the inflation rate is tipped to hit 8 per cent by the end of the year.

He remains hopeful the Bill can pass through parliament before Christmas.

Labor doesn’t need the support of independents to get legislation through the lower house, where its Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill passed by 80 votes to 53 last Thursday.

But Labor will rely on the Greens and at least one independent in the Senate, with David Pocock expected to cast the deciding vote.

Senator Pocock believes the laws are being rushed.

The independent ACT senator has also proposed splitting the Bill to vote on non-controversial aspects this year.

He has said he wants the multi-employer bargaining element separated and brought before parliament early next year to allow time for further scrutiny.

Senator Pocock is understood to still be considering his position on the Bill.

The inquiry into the legislation is due to report back just before the final sitting fortnight of the year starts on November 21.