Australia: Deputy PM seeks 'cultural change' in the workplace

(From The Australian) JULIA Gillard today will concede that

Australia's industrial relations culture is holding back the

productivity boost promised by her new workplace system.

The Deputy Prime Minister's push follows business complaints that the

new Fair Work Australia system is entrenching an outmoded adversarial

workplace culture based on the industrial tribunal, the unions and

awards.

Ms Gillard will use her address to the World Congress of the

International Industrial Relations Association in Sydney to announce "a

new focus on cultural change in the workplace".

This has been given impetus by an unpublicised Melbourne forum of

business leaders, union officials, bureaucrats and academics convened

by Ms Gillard late last month to promote the "workplace of the future".

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