Rudd’s divisive dismissal stance

Kevin Rudd had better watch his tongue.

This morning, he was on radio claiming that half a million workers need “protection” from unfair dismissal. Rudd is refusing to change the definition of a small business from 15 to 20 employees, arguing that half a million workers need protection from the new unfair dismissal laws, expected to be introduced on July.

Protection? From what? What is it dire threat from which half a million workers need Government protection? The inference of course is bosses are bad, that employers, given half a chance, take advantage of employees and dismiss them unfairly.

Why are Gillard and Rudd resorting to such divisive language? Where is the proof that half a million workers are treating their employees unfairly? Sure, we see cases of bad bosses in the press, but they are usually in court having the rule book thrown at them.  

Most employers are good employers. They treat their staff well. They work hard to make their staff happy because – and let me spell it out – it means their staff will stay, work hard and be efficient, loyal and productive.

Many in fact regard it as a privilege to provide a job to an enthusiastic worker and are devastated when they leave. Employers don’t sack staff who are performing well. Why would they? Their focus is on growth – and at the moment, survival.

As economic conditions get tougher, employers are going to have to make hard decisions on staff. Which staff stay? Which staff go? Should the employee doing an average job be moved on when a better unemployed candidate appears? What about the staff members who are border line productive? Is it fair to let them go? The staff member won’t think so.

Dismissal is a complex and emotive issue for both employers and employees. But being divisive and introducing the “us and them” element is a retrograde step, reminding us of the paternalistic “union versus the bosses” divisions that belong to the industrial era.

Surely we can frame the debate about what is fair without stereotyping employers as bad bosses.