Western Australia's peak business organisation, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, has played a lead role in convincing the Federal Labor Government to amend its industrial relations transitional bill amid fears large numbers of WA businesses would be unfairly disadvantaged.

CCI gave evidence to a Senate Committee earlier this month outlining a number of shortcomings of the proposed transitional laws, which if allowed to pass, would create significant problems for a big proportion of WA employers.

In a victory for WA business, the Federal Government this afternoon moved an amendment to the legislation in the Senate allowing employers seeking to re-hire staff to use transitional bargaining arrangements.

During last year's Federal election the Labor Party promised a smooth and seamless transition to a new industrial relations system, however under close examination the original version of the bill failed to deliver what was promised and what is required.

Business reasonably expected that all employers and employees currently using individual bargaining arrangements would have access to the Government's transitional bill, including the ability to hire new or existing staff on a new temporary individual agreement known as an individual transitional employment agreement (ITEA).

CCI welcomes the Government's decision which will go some way to improving business confidence and certainty in the new industrial relations system. It is also an encouraging sign for WA business that the Federal Government is prepared to listen to its concerns and be willing to compromise.

Statement by CCI Manager Workplace Relations Policy, Marcia Kuhne