Productivity and Labour Relations Minister Yvonne Henderson has called on the Opposition to state clearly its plans for the Industrial Relations Commission.
Mrs Henderson called for an undertaking that a Liberal government would retain the role of the Commission and to guarantee the positions of the Industrial Commissioners.
"The Industrial Relations Commission has a long and proud history as an independent arbiter and the Liberals should make it absolutely clear that they will retain the umpire," Mrs Henderson said.
"In Victoria the Kennett government has axed compulsory arbitration, abolished the Commission and set up a new body providing no real protection to workers.
"The Kennett government's new Employee Relations Commission can arbitrate disputes only if both parties agree.
"Powerful employers could refuse to go before the Commission and could hold out until the workers give in to their terms.
"This removal of worker protection was not mentioned in the Victorian Liberals' pre-election policy."
Mrs Henderson said WA workers could expect the same treatment.
Like the Victorians' Liberal policy, the WA Liberals' policy failed to state in detail their real plans for Western Australia.
"Under our system, the Industrial Relations Commission or any single party in a dispute can initiate the process of compulsory arbitration," Mrs Henderson said.
"While the Liberals refuse to explain what role they envisage for the Commission, we can only look to Victoria to reveal their true plans.
"If employers refuse arbitration, employees have nowhere to turn for an umpire's decision on a dispute.
"There could well be a return to the protracted industrial disputes of the past because there would be no third party to step in and resolve disagreements."
Mrs Henderson said that while the Liberals talked of increasing productivity, axing the protective dispute-settling procedure would have the opposite effect.
