Balancing work, family and business

July 17 2003 - The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce (VACC) has stepped into the debate on work/life balance, criticising the ACTU's Work and Family Test Case on the grounds that it fails to take business and economic issues into account.

According to VACC Executive Director David Purchase:

"In the ideal business environment, employees who are new parents or carers would enjoy more time off, but businesses simply cannot sustain any additional demands. Our economic surveys reveal a worsening trend and declining profitability for small and medium businesses in the retail motor industry."

The ACTU is arguing for more flexible work hours, extended leave opportunities and greater job security. When the Case was first prepared in November 2002, ACTU President Sharan Burrow said:

"Australia has an increasing proportion of families where both parents are working. The proportion of sole parents in the workforce is also growing. Two million Australians are working more than 50 hours per week, with one million of them averaging more than 60 hours per week.

"Many parents would prefer to spend more time at home with their children especially in the early years of life, without losing contact with the workforce. It is often difficult for employees to fit their childcare and school commitments in with working arrangements.

"The ACTU’s Work and Family Test Case will help end the career disadvantage experienced by many women and will make it easier for people to be both good employees and good parents."

The Work and Family Test Case application to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission seeks amendment of industria awards to:

* give full-time employees returning from parental leave a right to part-time work;
* give employees the right to request more flexible hours;
* give employees the right to emergency family leave;
* allow employees to 'buy' up to 6 weeks extra leave through salary adjustment;
* extend the current UNPAID parental leave period from 12 months to 24 months.

David Purchase contends that:

"The ACTU is inappropriately attempting to re-shape the work paradigm by calling for sweeping changes to terms of employment, without reference - or consideration - to those who will carry the burden for this change: employers.

"The 'one size fits all' approach by the ACTU is misguided and impractical.

"Ironically, it is employers who have consistently argued for award flexibilities and genuine choices.

"Employers do not dispute the need for a fair balance between family and work, but believe it should be based on an all-round understanding. Any agreements over flexibilities in employment conditions should be reached at the workplace level.

"At the same time, the government should help alleviate business burdens such as red-tape and compliance costs, and address employees'triple-taxed superannuation contributions.

"These and other fundamental issues need to be dealt with before businesses are presented with extra demands.

"The ACTU is wrongly stepping into the province of social reformer, while overlooking a plethora of economic and businesses issues. It's time to get real," Mr Purchase said.