Batman
I challenge you to find a reference to any government spokesperson who has said that their policy is to reduce wages and coniditions for the majority of workers.

Rhian,

You won't find any government official claiming that is their policy to reduce wages and conditions as this would likely be political suicide. It is however, an article of liberal party faith that minimum wage increases and working conditions cost jobs. The purpose of workchoices and the so called fair pay comission is to ensure that these things do not increase, as this supposedly creates lots of unemployment.

The U.S has pursued these policies for a long time. What has been created over time is a large pool of working poor, many of whom are forced to work two or three jobs to keep from ending up out on the street. So ten million very low paid workers might actually use up twenty or thirty million jobs, thus negating any possible increase in employment.

Whith unprecedented sums of money now in the governments coffers, some economists have said subsidising employment would be easily affordable. It might give small and medium size business an edge to compete with the big boys. Creating a large underclass of poverty level workers is not going to solve anything.

Rhian way do you have a need to defend the government, when all I am asking was for sum one to explain the way it works.

Batman

I’m not particularly trying to defend the government, but I don’t believe they expect or intend their IR changes to have the effect of reducing wages and conditions for the majority of employees. Opponents of the legislation fear it will have that effect, but supporters believe the opposite – labour market flexibility will create more job opportunities and raise productivity so real wages can increase, and allow employees and employers to negotiate the terms and conditions to suit them both. Asking WHY the government supports lower wages for the majority of employees is a loaded and inappropriate question. They don’t support any such thing. To my mind, the key question is whether or not they are right to expect that the new laws will lead to better conditions and living standards.

Rhian

Are the employees of Coles Myer getting less - Yes
Are the employees of Woolworths getting less - Yes
Are the employees of Spotlight getting less - Yes

Did John Howard say no worker will be worse off - No

He did not answer the question because he knew some workers would be worse off.

You may well be right, Steve, but that's not the same as saying a majority are worse off.