“The union should have nothing to do with it,nothing. It’s none of their business,really,when and how we should employ people,” he said.
The government’s promise to legislate greater access to multi-employer bargaining became the flashpoint of the jobs summit,prompting the Coalition to vow to fight the changes it believes will lead to widespread strikes and an inflation spiral.
COSBOA chief executive Alexi Boyd stood with Australian Council of Trade Unions Sally McManus last week to announce the agreement to develop a simpler industrial relations system,including “new options around collective bargaining which include multi-employer agreements.”
On Monday,Boyd met with Coalition members in Parliament to discuss the group’s negotiations. She has stressed her industry group is against the unionisation of small businesses,saying any agreements struck should be opt-in,and the aim was to empower her members to more simply and effectively navigate the bargaining system.
De Bruin said suggestions the organisation was “sidling up to union movement” were folly.
“All we did was talk to the ACTU about the possibilities of making it[the bargaining system] easier,more flexible and less complex,” said de Bruin,who also runs Master Grocers Australia. “We’re not interested in any union involvement with any of those agreements.”