TASMANIA’S peak employer body the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) has backed calls for an independent inquiry into Australia’s Fair Work laws, particularly as they impact on the State’s small business sector.This follows a meeting convened by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and consisting of more than 20 employer representatives and business groups in Melbourne.  The meeting called for an independent review by the Productivity Commission of the Fair Work laws.

TCCI CEO Robert Wallace said that regardless of the Qantas dispute, there was a general feeling that increased trade union power was significantly impeding business efficiency across the board.

“There is a great concern in the business sector that the laws are having different impacts across all sectors and that they are particularly imposing higher costs and red tape on small business,” Mr Wallace said.

“Most employers regulated by the Fair Work laws, are in fact, small business operators.  As Tasmania’s business sector comprises mostly small businesses, for obvious reasons we are concerned about the impact these laws are having on their operations and their ability to successfully undertake their business.”

Mr Wallace said that even though the Fair Work laws had been in operation for a short time, there was sufficient data to independently assess the impact of the laws.

“Those impacts on our small business sector are higher labour costs under awards, new adverse action and unfair dismissal litigation, and the compliance nightmare when fair work laws are added to other regulations having to be dealt with by business.

“In Tasmania our small businesses are often owner operators and this added burden on their day-to-day operations may be enough to tip them over the edge.  Coupled with this is the State’s fragile economy and the fact that small business is doing it tough from all sides.

“We strongly urge an independent, wide-ranging inquiry and we will work with our sister body ACCI, to that end,” Mr Wallace said.