Editorial: Contract With Australia
If WorkChoices is the legislative expression of the Howard Government's ideological hatred of unions, the Independent Contractors Act is the product of an altogether more dangerous form of ideological zealotry.

These laws will risk going under the radar because, by their nature they are so complex as to induce slumber in even the keenest student of industrial relations. But seasoned observers warn their impact could be even more profound than WorkChoices.

So what is being proposed? Couched in the language of 'freedom' and choice' these laws are designed to break the link between labour law and contractors. It is this link that has provided a modicum of protection for workers forced from secure jobs onto sham contract arrangements in recent years.

By allowing contractors who are dependent on a single business for work to be 'deemed' as employees, industrial tribunals have ensured these workers have had access to superannuation, workers compensation andsome legal recourse when treated unfairly.

All this will end under the ICA, due into Federal Parliament this session. Industrial tribunals lose the right to 'deem' contractors as employees and the unfair contracts jurisdiction is abolished, meaning any disputes have to go through the altogether more expensive avenues of Supreme Court action.

The laws also continue the attack on unions. If you are contractor you will have no 'choice' about being represented by a trade union innegotiating a contract. You will be truly on your own...

more: http://workers.labor.net.au/305/editorial_editorial.html