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Australian Labor Party New Technology Task Force: report and policy recommendations
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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
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AU.~
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NEW TECHNOLOGY TASK FORCE
REPORT AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
December 1981
Introduction
In July 1979 the Adelaide NatioDal Conference passed a resolution - . setting up a Taskforce to investigate the impact of New Technology and to report back to the National Executive by July 1980. The
·extreme complexity of this subject and its wideranging
implications made it impossible to meet the timetable set in
the resolution. Now, 16 months late, the Report is. offered to the . party for internal debate so that it can be discussed and - we hope - adopted at the Canberra National Conference in July 1982.
The Report will be controversial, even shocking, to many members
of the Party. We would be disappointed if the Report did not
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arouse controversy. We make no apology for the long delay in
presenting the report - but we are audacious enough to sUggest
time will run out for the Party if it does not consider and act on
tlle recommendations quickly. If we take no action, others will
decide the issues raised in this Report.
The Report is ~bout New Technology, a matter of vast concern ~
because of the impact occurring throughout Australia and the rest
of the world to the way people live and work.
----·-·-----·-·-- -~ --·---· ~·"'-... - ⢠, ... _1'.
~.
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We must avoid the trap of thinking that the changes in human
life are brought about by technological artefacts and techniques themselves, such as the accompanying gadgetry. decisive human agencies
microelectronics revolution, with its This view ignores consideration of the who promote and apply the technologies.
Technology is the application of knowledge, and takes the form of both equipment and processes. The knowledge sought after, acquired and then applied is as a direct result of people making decisions. Viewed in. this light "new" 1echnology is no
single entity. Consequently "new" technology is neither:
1. an outside agent but part and parcel of our society
2. nor free from values because people make decisions about it.
The debate about new technology i~ very important. It is about choice - choice of future directions for our society. Future directions involve decisions across the complete spectrum of society. These decisions are political ones, concerned about
values which are held to be important.
If we consider the debate about new technology in this way we I
appreciate why at times it seems a difficult matter to grasp. It is too restrictive to look at a problem of, for example, data
processing, from the point of view of how to adjust the technology to be best use of society. Its very existence changes the circumstances.
These changed circumstances may well be positive. The hardware (computer, word processor) allows for the technical possibil-ities, which may c9ntribute to the jobs of the people involved. A good example is the release of people from spray paint,ing in an
enclosed environment in the car industry. However, the systems this equipment is part of are run from programs produced and controlled by people.
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Each little piece of equipment or new process is part of a larger concern. It is the concern at designing knowledge, primarily derived to satisfy management perogatives, into the very fabric of our society. And those immediately confronted by the new pieces
of equipment or processes really are having to deal with this larger question. Hence the complexity confronting the ordinary working person.
The ALP Task Force established by the July 1979 Conference was given an enormous job, because of the breadth and. depth of the subject matter and its importance, at this crucial time in Australian development. The report is structured as follows:
SECTION 1: Background
SECTION 2: Answering the questions raised by the July 1979
resolution with approp,riate policy recommendations.
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BACKGROUND
The Pervasive Nature of Technological Change
The use of technology has been far more influential than
ideology, elections, political struggle'or education in
affecting the way people live. Technological changes in
agriculture have caused massive reductions in rural population,
the growth of cities, creat~on of the industrial proletariat
(a 'new class' in the 19th Century), the development of urban
life styles and shifting human value systems. Within the workforce, technology is an instrument of industrial discipli~e,
requiring co-ordination and synchronisation where numbers of
people are engaged in common tasks - creating the factory
system.(aP.d trades unions),.'and destroying ancient craft-work
traditions. Changes in communications, telegraph, telephone and radio, were major factors in developing nationalism, mass
parties and popularly supported dictatorships. World Wars I and II would have been impossible without technolog~cal advance, and control of nuclear weapons has been the dominant geopolitical
issue since 1945. Transport technology has destroyed high
density city living, creating urban sprawl, with growing
·dependence on fossil fuels·. Television has profound effects on
time use, life styles and perceptions of the world and is now
the primary mode for communicating information, propaganda
and advertising. Its controllers determine if television is to
be a stimulant or a sedative, to present one point of view
or several. In the U.S.S.R.television is a major prop of the
status quo: 1n the U.S. it is central to the 'consumer society'.
I,
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In both cn.s0s it i:; usl'd trnrwnt. Cotnputer
based mini.:Jluristâ¢J technology wi 11 reduce the politicat
i n f 1 u e n c e o i b lu ~~ c t' l LJ r w o r k e r s a n d t h e i r un i on s
a signific~lllt dwllenge to people engaged in ment.1l \olork.
Technology becomes, in the hands of its owners or controllers,
a political instrument for reshaping society, exercising its
power to a degree that even totalitarian governments would be
hesitant to attempt.
Despitt~ the central position of technology in modern life, the
m.:1jor prtlblems to be faced by the A.L.P. continue to be
politic.::d, social and <>conomic. In transport, for example, a
technological artef
and possibly irreversible, effect on the way people live (and
die), population distribution, resource use, ·crention of many jobs and the development of personal value systems. Ilut the
resolution of transport cris(~s would not be brought about by
technological solutions per se e.g. banning the use of lead-free
petrol, governors to control speed, using safety air bags, desirable though all these may be: instead it would be
necessary to m3ke tough decisions in non-technological areas -planning, land use, taxation, fuel pricing.
Technological developm~r1ts such as the contraceptive pill have
h~Hl enormous impacts on population growth ratt:.'~; and fen:ale
labour forc.L' participali ... Hl- and yet appropriate population and
employment fhllicies would not he essentially technological
themselv('S.
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This is also truP of tl:" l'fff'ct nf tc·chnology in communications,
transport, entt'rt:tinul.'nt, soci:tl s('curi.ty, l!e;Ilth rmd education. It would bt~ ptlinlltâ¢ss :JIHI self-d,,fe[!ting to ~;et out a comprehensive SciPnce .1nd Technology policy wi.thoul de.:lling with
interlocking/overlapping areas in labour policy, economics,
trade and resource use>: it would be as if water supply policy
was limited to dealing with the relevant artefacts: p1pes, taps:
valves and washers.
Australia's Changing Labou~ Force.
The state of high technology in Australia in 1981-82 is the result
of social, political and economic circumstances. Decisions about
previous applications of knowledge arc now bringing results.
There is a certain momentum in society directed towards greater
use of new forms of technology. This section examines the
impact of this momentum.
We begin by looking at the employment structure of Australian
society. The primary sector includes agricul tun~, fishing,
forestry, quarrying and mining. Tulal employment in this sector
has fallen from 33.3% of the paid labour force in 1891 to 7.7% in
1979. While the total volume of agricultural produce, especially
wheat, meat and wool, continues to rise and farming remains an
essential element in the economy generally, and the export markets in particular, farm employment has fallen for decades. The long
term historic decline in agricultural employment is characteristic
of all technologically advanced societies: for example, the U.S.
has only 3.0% of its labour force in agriculture.
··-
'⢠.-w;':J '~- ·--
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There has been some debate about the effects of resource development on employment. Undeniably, very few people are directly employed in the mining industry - 0.6% (men and women) in 19781. Contention arises over the extent of what J. K.
Galbraith calls "the trickle effect" and other economists term "the multiplier effect". Does the wealth generated by these projects, with their huge appetite for finance, often initiated at the behest or-foreign company directors, and with their
environmental disturbances, help or hinder the Australian community? Are benefits to be shared and if so, do all
community members benefit?
The Gregory thesis was a major Australian study raising doubts as to the benefits a "resources boom'' has for the other sectors in the Australian economy. The thesis is a subject of continuing debate.
Under the present regime of the Fraser Government policy of virtually uncontrolled foreign investment, finance is being s\·;ri tched away from the "retail" market. Consequently housing
interest rates are. being drastically affected. Power production requires large outlays but the charges made for home use do not diminish. Moreover, the capital outlay per job,created through such resource-based projects is enormous. Doubt can be cast
upon the claims that such resource developments contribute directly to the ordinary Australian's welfare, and particularly under the reigning free-for-all policy. Incidentally this experience is not unique to Australia. Canada's highly capital
intensive nature of resource extraction also presents relatively few opportunities for large scale employment growth.
1 Australian Tresaury Job Markets Treasury Economic Paper No. 7 A.G.P.S. Canberra 1979.
8
The secondary sector of the economy has generally been equated
with manufacturing, although many writers are now suggesting that
this heading ought also to include construction as well, since it is a quasi-manufacturing process wldch converts materials into finished goods.
There has been a remarkable consist(â¢ncy in employment figures for
manufacturing during the past 90 years - 20.59% of the paid labou: 2
force in 1891 arid 21.9% in 1979. 'l'llis consistency sugq~sts that
as old forms of work phased out (e.g. making accessories for
horse drawn vehicles) new forms evolved (e.g. making motor
accessories), often in the same area and with few job losses.
However as Australia moves deeper into a global economy there is
no guarantee that this historical continuity in manufacturing
employment will continue. The following table demonstrates
how employment in manufacturing has been steadily falling slnce
1966, well before the rccossion which began in 1973-74.
Percentage of Persons employed in Manufacturing 3
Men Women
-- --
1966 . 27 21
1971 27 20
1974 26 18
1978 23 15
1980 23 13
Note here that this fall occurred in the context of an increasing labour force, augmented from 1947 to 1972 by a high proportion of migrants and their Australian-born children.
2 Barry Jones "Science, Technology and Australian Resource Development".
3 Bettina Cass "Unemployment and the Family".
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The drop in the number of women has been proportionately greater than that of men in this sector, a factor which reflects the decreasing job openings for unskilled migrant women.
If we look at manufacturing we see there have been regional movements. Statistics ·from A.B.S. for the years 1973-1980 show that in this sector, N.S.W. experienced a 12.5% drop in employment, Victoria a 13.2% fall and South Australia a drop
of 17.4%. In Queensland, however, the fall in manufacturing employment was 5% whilst in Western Australia there was an actual increase of 1.9%.
Industry structure within this sector has been highlighted clearly on many occasions. For example, The Jackson Report on "Poli~ies for Manufacturing Industry" (October 1975) pointed out that in Australian manufacturing, 50% of all "value
added" is produced by 200 large, capital intensive firms employing 44% of the manufacturing labour force and the other 50% of
"vall..le added" by 30,000 small and medium, labour intensive,
firms employing 56%.
Running through the debate on the importance of the manufacturing sector to Australia has been the question of protection. It is a subject both sensitive and critical. The Trade Union movement broadly speaking, supports protection for local
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industry through approporiate levels of tariff. Insufficient evidence has been produced which demonstrates that the use of tariff protection as a tool for reconstruction of local industry and protection of employees should not be retained.
International experience is perfectly consistent with this, and at a recent GATT conference it was decided Tariff Barriers of signatories should be lowered ... but this "fails to mask the priority of intensified comp~tition and proliferating non
tariff barriers". ~---------""";";.:,;_···-··--·..:;~- .;... ⢠...:.-· .⢠!:':'!.~~ .. ::·---'·---·.'--~~----·';'.:\_, ___ ~· -- :~· ... ~--'~- .... ~ â¢. : â¢.⢠:
-~~~~-,._,:·_r;:~ Experi.ence .of~-~he affecJs 0'£ ~ariier decisTons to:reduce· ;tariff leve ...... ,i ⢠.: ⢷ _,. ... ·:~---·-· --. ·::. -~ - -~--:·· â¢â¢â¢ ··; .. >
I ··.-r~--..,..~~,_~,, . ⢷ ' . ·-· .... ⢷â¢"l,·â¢ ⢠"I ⢷' ,., ... ⢠.⢠, ' '' ._., .. ~ ,..,.~.·-··r~ '⢠··â¢â¢··-·â¢"''__..-~ ,'"â¢' â¢â¢ ··-⢠â¢n.,..~.--\:·"'!:-:11~·
-.-.·~~~-·-··.···clarified at least one aspect of this debate~---_-_Changes which ~~:~~·~;;;;.;;;_
ii......++lli-r-;;"":'Nâ¢~·;;.;,~-- : ., __ ~:..a~~-- :;. . .-..:. .... ~ .. - .... :;.:...: ..... ..ai·L-...:,;_~ ~---·---=- ......... _ ~-.. -# ---- ........ k.i:.:.-..:.. -----~-~---;.. --~_,..-...... ~;...:..;.:.J' .. ~~..!.-..... -.: .. :....._ .....!.-~ ..... -~----._ ⢠._..,.,.a.nn:;:~.-.-. .:
·;:.~.- ;:.::;:_ do take place in Government support for manufacturing industry -~!;'-~~-
~: ~~~~~~:~ri~t d~. :~~ ;i~ ~---~-~ c~nt~~-lled way, --f~r:. ~hi~h:; th~r~: must--b~ :pla~ni~~ ~~
..::::;:.~'i;.;~.:;;;;,~:·;~::However. questions of what changes might be ... appropriate for ~ .. :::::::···:~~.::
â¢;>'"'·~~~"'··â¢¥â¢,,>· ·â¢ ⢷···""'<""â¢"" 0 ⢠·- ~··h· ,tâ¢, . ⢷â¢â¢· , ⢠p> .⢷ ·, â¢â¢····~·~'.·"< ··o.,· "'.·TP.~~~-
- -~;_:::_=~~=.'_local industry and who decides, using which criteria, haven't . â¢,j'1"!':(1â¢.:':'â¢\.-.......... · ⢠- -·~·>:':'-~.
·., .. ~~~;;,,;,_;, been thrashed out. .. .... , ... "-· ····:'' ;!;.. â¢â¢ .â¢â¢ :-:· ~ ⢠⢠'::<'" ·' . ·-'' ⢠- .:-â¢â¢ â¢â¢ ~ ⢠⢠.. _.,.. __ ~!-:r~
â¢;;:V,J,:<...,..,., ⢠â¢,.,.;., "'··
. ............. . .... ~.. -~ ...... .
·- 7':: ... -~:~~Inherent in such a question. is a. consideration of the importance ---... , · ;<:of trading to Australia and the. reasons for having a manufacturing ;·~.: .. sector. · The international aspects of this concern about new
-'''technology will be taken up later. Further deba~e on these
::â¢-::'.;'!'" .....
'. :_ crucial matters is necessary before longer term plans on the
job opportunities of those affected can.be· properly understood.
The tertiary sector, defined for the purposes of this Report as 'the provision of tangible or physical economic services such as retailing, transport, eating and drinking, utilities, fuel supply, medical and beauty care' has also been very
consistent as an employer: 29.0% in 1891, rising to 32.7% in 1979. Barr.y Jones points out that "as early as 1881 the
tertiary sector in Victoria employed one paid worker in three and this proportion has remained virtually unchanged for the following hundred years". Nevertheless, within this sector there have been changes in the nature of the labour force. There has
been considerable growth in the employment of women, in such areas as the servicing of offices; in personal services (cooks, cleaners, hairdressers) the care of the sick and services to the disadvantaged (most community services)".
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-~!'t····j_~--i~t~resting to note that· Victoria and N.S.W. are the
--·::~·---~--··states 'where overall growth in employment in this .. secto_r has :~:·::= ,_~;:...a.--~:.;;..,;.;.:_.Q. ................... , â¢â¢.. ----···· â¢. · â¢..â¢â¢ - '· ⢠- -..:.._. __ -- .â¢â¢.â¢. ··- .â¢â¢. . ⢠⢠⢷. ·â¢·â¢······ ⢠.:~ ·-·-· â¢..⢠4<.--~·-··-'-·'""""·-··"--------- -~......... __ ...... ~ .... ~;
.:.:.:::. : ... ..:: been very large compared to the other states, especially over .. L: ..... .. -·-~- __ .._ .. ...,_..,. ________ . ... ..... -- .... . .. . .. ..⢠.... .. ---- .... ~ ··---- . - --------- -----~ ~------- .. .. ......... -..
-~.:. :~ ·· the last decade. · ,· · ... :-::· :::. · ·-~·-· .' ... ,.", ~::.
·-··-· ::._ ___ ___ ::.:.::.-:.. ···- ~----· _, .. _· ·- ... _,_ ... - -- -. '"::. .. :::: .:- --: . .': ::·:·· . : .-:··.·:-:~-::·.":_~:.::-=::.:: " . ·- ::::.:.: :· :.:"'!:":~- . --.- ,,_, ... _ .. ~ -- -
· .. · · -· -· An important influence on the potential for growth in this
.,,,·(\·. i~':·sector is the policy of the Government. Under the present
.. regime of the Fraser Government this link is obvious -cut
·-.baCkS aCrOSS the board in .. financial SUpport 1 and a reSUlting ·. ·drop in employment and services.·> .. . .
--~-
The quaternary sector includes all employment based essentially
on the transfer of information, for example, clerical and office
workers, teachers, public servants, research workers, photographers
media, postal and communications, dala processing, banking. The
essence of this sector is that people work in processing symbols -e.g. words, images, sounds, n·umbers. This sector has grown very rapidly in Australia since 1921, allhough it plateaued in the 1970s
The following table d0monstrates tho poi.nt:
Information workers 1891 1921 1933 1947 1961 1966 1971 1976
(%age of 13.3 11.7 14.9
labour force)
22.7 24.5 27.6 29.7 30.9
In the United States according to the Department of Labor, information
workers (broadly defined) comprised 46.4% of the paid labour force in
1970 but rose to only 46.6% in 1980. Nevertheless this sector has been decisive in promoting the u.s. economy - and is contributing to
Japan's success in outstripping the Americans in some areas. As
Barry Jones points out "It is no coincidence that the only nation with
almost 50 per cent of its labour force in the
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information sector is also the only nation with over 50% of young adults undergoing tertiary education". 4 " â¢â¢. Canadians l~ve with the knowledge that the West German company, Siemens,
with 30,000 15~--~ D employees has 42 times more researchers in industrial R & D than does the whole of Canada'~· 5
Since meri£ion h~s been made specifically of the public sector ··' ~ . -- .
it is fitting to round.out this section with a brief discussion . ...... . ~ .... ~- of private versus public sector.employment. -~ -~ . .. ~ .. , ... .. .. -.r:-.~::~·-:1·.:-·-::<---..--~~: . ., .... ··-;- â¢: ..... .... , ' ·.-··- .. ~ . 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L'~·~·:.... :..u;.~."-~.0::. t.....:..-. ------- â¢. 2...L:.: . ...::._~::: .. .. :.:...::._:_:_.":.":.i~::!:'~¥--~,:.:._~.:;;2~~:...;_:;..;;~:.:::.:;;""::.:::~~ .. :.:~·::-.::::~~~~:::~-~~:';~-..:--... ~-.;;..._ ..... , .. _:_~:._~~·:!.:·~~~-:.:.::_;__-~.:_:----· --~--. ---~":;_~~~~ .â¢........ . ..... -~~: ............ - .. ,.....:,-............... , .... ~- ,_ ........... ~~..,.- ... ~ ..... ~ .. -~:;.;.;~. 10 -,·-8os.6 ~: .. 3o -·--·--,-~----~·::--,.. ....... . ~- ·â¢··· .·--.⢠. ---~-...... .....,,.. . .... --~--: ... "'··· ' ' -...-..~ .. ..._., . ._~__..~ .. -- :.~~:~:~~~~==~'(j-une) .. -.~.::~. ~: 19 6 6 -.~·~-~-~-~-... ~'~.}91 7 ⢠1 ' ~~.::::~·if':~~~"'·.~-~ ~:·.~---~~-~/l":~.t·~ :·. ' . .. -:~:~u:~::.'fii~·:;.::::,n.:.-.~5'!:.-··.:···T· . . _:·_'-; . .,. .... ;-~:· .⢠: .... ~ .. --~ 19 7 0 ·-. ~:..~~1 .. (,.''-lo···----~ "tt"~·.··l..-...... ,â¢; ... ,~.: ~:.. 1974 ::;~)~:~;;;;~.::_~.;;~.--~~ .. :-~:~~-: :· ..... 19 7 9 . :··"""'·~~:·~-.! .. - â¢h_ll~·· ....... ,. ~ ., ..â¢â¢. :. - .. ,.: ;-:- .:. :::. .:., ·- .. - ... :. ~-=-.. ··. . ; ;. .. ' .... 'â¢. ~:- -·-' .. -.. 'â¢. ·- ....... ~ --- ·-------- .. ""'' .. ''""'''' 2152.4 . ~"-. ,· ::··· ... . ...,_._. .. · .. ' ; :·:' . .J~;1--.;_;·~~:.'' ~;"-<- ⢠⢠⢠- ~ :;-:· ... _~;·_. ⢠:.--:~:-::_~-~~~ ~-=-~7::t:-.:::::.~·:_.£="::-:"·.:t:-!.=:::-: . :~ ';!~:71 ::."'""'' ,·,--::.~:~:~ ~? 8 ⢠9_ .,;~:::·:' . 2 9 _·:: :: ~:;,:;=:~;~:~~~~'-"'"' ..:. :2275.3 .;yi:-:~?0 :~:-··.-·~~:':':,~.:::f:-962.0 â¢~w:,~,30 ~:.:··::.~-::- ~~214 0. 8 . -~·.~;:~-~~~_?: : .. ·.:·~--~·:_.",~~~-~ 30. 6 ·-~--- 3 3 _: .: . .......... _, .......... ' ..... , .. .... ~.,-.....-,,~. ~. -. -.·â¢'â¢"!~ ...... ·r-~ ··---·-~-- . .: .... ;_,·_.:.. .:· --;-":·.-:-."'\:;: .. :;;;,.;;:·--,::::.:::.-- . ..-~-:-::-;:::-..... ----.- . ~- , .â¢.. ---· ..... ~~; :. . · .. · ::~:' ~-~:?~~-.. ~: :-.~--i ·-:-v ... ·â¢· ,. ... .. ⢠⢠·â¢ ' '. ,. ...... -.1\1 ...... ,_._ â¢â¢ , ~ ·~-- < ,\ :, 'â¢â¢ ,r," ~ oF-⢠'"0- ⢠'':'.~.~:;~-~-7~t"'~".":~~-⢠-~ .. ~.:·:~ '~.:," ~-· ... ~ ..... ,_ ... ~ ,,;~~- ...... , . ::.;:;:;_.~-_;;:· :~~WOMEN · .~:·:.~r;:2·~-~~-;--·_;_:~ . ::.-. .:. .. -~ . ..:.:--~- =..:-::"7:,::.:::7..::,:: .. · :: .:.- ::...:_:..-.:.:::::-. -~ _. ·-;~-:.:·:= .:.. â¢:--.-.. ···_... --~-.:..:~ ;:.~~t:.?;·~~~::;·__ :-=-.-~:·-::-7-:-::::=-~: :~_._..-.:·-: ..:_--~::,~~~::.:.:.;F:~::~.:::::·:.~~.:.:.. --,.~---~---,···~· ·. ·.~-}~.:;~f~:,·~~~:.::~ (June ) - '1966 10 2 o ~ .. 6 : ··_- 8 3 -~--~ ~- ;-~2~£~:32 o 7 ~9 :~,::;=~~ 17 ~-:,~.;:'~:~:::~:-c:""~2Zii~ â¢I': '.':-?if;.~r~:-.:.·:,: t:.-,.,..,.,y-_.·,;:· :·.-~.-;:.-:,iM-""il-.J';;;',;::;-.·-7-.r-: =-.:·--· .'£.21~~: ... ,-.w-,,~h~·---:....:..:.. ... ~~-;~:;;:~;'<:~~~;.·.~:r.-:··. -···-~---~:::.n..--:.~ .... ~~1,':1'!.1";:~.--· .:.:·.: .-;·-,·- .. ::.:~ _, .. ':~~~~::!'.':·'!.:..'"':'·:·-:;~-·-·..-,--:--"·-· ...... --·:<:!â¢..;._-:- ⢷ ..... _,.~. ·. 123.9.6 .;.;:~82 .. , .. .L:riiS~\263.3 18 .~t:~~£±~~lc~·,;~£~: ·_;;.:, 'â¢â¢· ;''T .. '' ···:,.~;~-~--· â¢. ⢠·â¢·'· -·:a ..... ·.-·-::.·~·-';·.-:~~=-::~.:.~-:-:--~:-:~ , __ , ___ ,. __ , ". 13 6 7 ⢠7 _ ;:~:~:}.~ â¢. : :~;; .:.::'_:·.:,:~~s=,! ~? -~· ~--,.:.~~:.?. ~ ... ~i~~~~2~~.; . ........... ··::···· .::.~--:~·""·····:\·." . -:-:~!~~¥~';'~·~::·~T~~: :,_:~.=~:-~~:: ... ~ .. ~~-~:~_·_:·~:;"~· _:~:. , , 1 ~-~ ~ ---~ . ~,:,::·:f1:2~~~i~T~~=~;;;;(,':~:~ ~t.~:1~:7~£~3~.3~~~t?!~~I -~-~~~~j~_7:.:~· .::~-- ~ ·-::.::::·-~--~-: ~.: ~·- · ~ ;· ·â¢ !'. · -·· · :·::··.-~ :. · _.. __ ,_- · ~- · -=--:~-~-~~~-..=.;~::7-:~·i.r;:~:·~~~s:=:-::~.:-:g~_~:~::..~-~=~~;::-.;.::·:~~~,~;.:;;~.The above figures naturally do not cover the 1981 -'Razor Gang'- .. ,~ .. ;:-·~~,.,.-~;·:·-;;<;:._:~-. : .. ~ .. ~~ ~ _,._ 1,,.,... . .. '.⢠.. , .. , . ' . '⢠··'-. ' . . ⢠:.'-;~~":":"·,,_:: .. : ...... _., .... ·. ,. ~-· ...-f.""\-·~· '.· ~·,=;~~!~~~7~cuts and therefore the proportions 'are likely -to be altered 'f~~:i_:.::~ ~~~-:;-;.~·:-.t-E~ .. ~:t~::,;..-5.:.;._~~-~:-_.- ' . .. .. ·.- . . -~'-;-;..--:~."'.. .. _.... ..::·.· .... ~ ·: .. _. .... _. .. :· . · .. ":-;~.--~-":;;:;;-:-.?: ·-··· .,. .. :·:·_ ... ~.;.::t:,~:~!;~-~ .;:~~!il:~ â¢â¢â¢ :;;;_~in favour of the private sector. ·:::,._However ~~from 1970 to_.l979 ,· ;.,.;~ ·:~~~~~.~~;> ~-- -_ . . . . . .,:· . . . -- . . .. --·-:¥·:-~-.-.:--~ --~ ... ··-· . ·-------· ·-·. --- -·::·-:·.----~-~ .. ~:?~-::-~;~·~ ;;,;Z;.~~-.:-male wage -~rid salary earners were divided between private_.~and~~~~ ~-.:;';;J~1:.~~~-:-t.--.<-~ . . .. - ._ .. :·;,--·-: .. _. . . . . ·- ·;·=-~i--.:-::~:···· ·:.·~·:;:.:;_::_t::: ';.-. .. ::·:.: - .⢠·.·.: .--:~-~--- ·-.-_ .. _.:;:~~~:·~~-----. --~7~~;.:-~: ~- ... ~~.:-publ1c sector _employment '·" ⢠.·-~-1n a _constant_"~at:J..o; .... ~th~_,p~b_l1~~ :·'·:.':_-~.::;-.-:,""f-. .=-·.;.·. . . . ⢠.· . · .. - .. . ,·:--~- ' . . . â¢.⢠.⢠â¢â¢·â¢â¢. ···- .... ,...,--:-· -·. ~---:---·..=·.· ·:_\~~~~~·sector·",iccounted £or-"3 .. O% of ·rnale.employmerit:· without."'\iarT~i'-ti"on~~-~; ............. ~~·-.. . .. . .. ~~~~~t~~-- -:.:;· · .. :·. :':7:.;-;-.t; :-.:··-~ .;;r~:-,~·; . .-,"!:.;~·::--··~-;;.-:::~.:·.~7.-:~--.-::-:-··.::· ... : ·;--:-·-:-:·:. =-·....-:~.:.~::_: ···-~-~~.,¥.;-;-:~.....,..::--- --~·.::.:~,.;;.-::;::-~---~--.--·.--~ -~-..:-~;;:~~:::~~~-~~...;~~ ::::.""'~~--~~:But fur .women .J:he .. si tuation .was markedly Aifferent,: .. ,;,;,;,..~F~tQ-,_t.9...?,9,. __ ,:;,4 . . ~ ................. ,. ____ .. ______ ~ ... ...,,._,_" to 1979 the proportion of women employed in the public sector increased from 16% to 30%". 6 4 Jones, Ibid P.l9 5 J. M. Gilmour "The industiral policy debate in a resource hinterland". 6 Cass, Ibid Extracted from Table 6 P.l7
13
Summary: A four-sector chart analysing changes in industry structure in Australia since 1981 indicates that thesteady fall in primary employment (agriculture etc.) has been. compensated for by the steady rise in quaternary (information) work. Secondary (manufacturing) and tertiary (tangible economic
services) have been remarkably stable until now - but there are two worrying prospects for the future.
1. that manufacturing will continue to fall, perhaps more rapidly than at present, and
2. that information will n·o longer rise.
SLEEPERS, WAKE!
Four-sector aualysis of the Amtralian labour force, 1891-1979 (%) '1\ ·10.,...--------------------------,
Serontlary_,_.-........... -· . ----- ---·--· _..:.,.,~-···~ .... l<·rriary __...-....... ~ :l!H â¢â¢ / 'x· -····--..... . ...-- . '-. / ,, . "'- ..... / .. _~ f!. .. . .. ,.._., ... ,, . ......... ./ --~'':⢷ 1891 1901 1911 1921 1933
'-. -., '-. -.,
1947
... .... .... , .........
1961 66 71 76 79
.Vole: Corn piled at re
Historically, the period of 'full employment' in the long boom in Australia which ran from 1945-73 was an exception and not the rule: In the Great Depression of the 1930s Australia had worse unemployme~t relatively than the United States or Great Britain.
For most of our national history unemployment levels have fluctuat, considerably - always to the detriment of working people.
:·-:":!:.;':;_:.~ "On all· avaiJ,.able evidence ·it would appear that unemployment
-- - ........... -·····.. -· .. ~ ·- . . ...:.. ... ~ ...
:.:::~':":i~:~.:: ~is a process which makes the poor poorer by "selecting out" . -~·· . . .
:... ___ ::--:·-·those :~i th the least secure and the least. well paid jobs in
'"-· \>'..- ~ ...... ._ â¢â¢ ~;I' ⢠⢠-⢠.. ' '
.. ~~-
~--_- .. ~~~~~t;~·.,
occupational structure, and by concentrating iabour market disadvantages in the same working class f~milies". 7 o· o "';;_,;;·:;.:-- ... ; .. "'<~-.......--~-~~--~-----
-- ..... __., ..
... .- ._._..,....,;,.,.
the
~:~,::.: .. :;:i?~;;,.::7":":;...;.:. ... ··-·~-----:--·:· .. - ⢠:~-:~--~ -"·: .~----·:.
·""'-'~ .,, Cass .. Ib1d Introduct.1.0n P1.
_ ·~ ~~~---j~_ --- .... ::::::7·:..--· ::·:._-:-~:.:.::.:..:·::;.~:--:.· _
·.:;: · ... -~ .... ~~-;c-~:.- " -.: .·. -~"'::;..::--:,. â¢.:; .... :.··fi>:.~~-".::1 ":⢠.,;::-, .:-.:...
~·.;.·~!.,oO..a.IJ.~""';.J"o~·":'..;t"""\· ·~· .,.,;...,.- .... ,, â¢â¢â¢â¢,,· ... ~.â¢
- \ 14
"The aggregate recorded statistics hides the unequal impact of unemployment, which falls most heavily on those people wh0 once filled the ranks of the "secondary" ·labour market or who might have entered it: young people aged 15-19; men
over the age ·of 50 and women over the age of 45; women employed as process workers in manufacturing and in service, .... -~ / . . .⢠sport and recreation jobs; men employed in manufactu~ing ___ " .. , ..... and in service,. sport and recreation jobs; pe·ople, especially ....
'--"-·"·~-- · women, born outside Australia; and more recently arrived ···-·
. ---~·:!--:;;--.. -· .. ·â¢· -· ~ -- : . . . . . . . . .. "'- ... ---:--·-·--- .... -·
,·::_~--~~:~ .... migrants;··. People in all age groups without post-school ·.~.-·::.~: ·
..... ~.·~.-~-'1:'"" ..,... ........ ~ ·--,~, ..... _ .. __ ·; ·- . ... . . '" ............. _ .. , .. ..._ .............. ~--·
· :-.-:-:::-=:z.~~;qualifications are more disadvantaged in their access to --·-"-·--_~.;~.;~--~~~~-- ---·--··--·-------:-â¢:.:~.....;;;~:..: . ...::.. ... --·-·---~; --·------·-· ..... :. ⢠.... ·.-â¢.â¢. ·.:-... . .: ... ~.....:-.... _...,;..~::.......;;_: _____ :_ __ ,.;.;.o.,~.:-"'-~:::-·""·_-:...;....<..< â¢.. ~~=._:;.;::.:.::.:-::-:::::.:.3::~=~--==-
_·+.; ·- _. .. : jobs than people with qualifications, while women's unemployment -~~~{~_)_<-ra-tes are:-~ higher than men's at' each educational' le~el â¢. , ... _:_- -_,·::_ . ')~~tl~
_;·~~~g=_:~::·.:::;- -.:..:_~_;- . .::--=.:.:.... -. .. :_.. _., ' :·._ :-. ~- :... ;. .... -
-------~-.----
_______ ·-: __ · _____ ...... ::.:;.:._. ------- ·_;_:-.. . _·..::..:-::~:.::..~-t; . __
---~--";·.-··-' . -·--·
· --- · The unequal social impact of the deterioration in the job .. -: .⢠-.u__.,...,. .. ·-.i.~":-: ,.,. market is shown in the recorded t+nemployment rates for August
1980, estimated by the Aust~a~ian Bureau·of Statistics. Young ... , people aged 15-19' particul~r~y~young women i people aged
20-24: and in each age category /:-those born outside Australia, were the groups most disadvantaged in their access to jobs. Recorded rates of unemployment for older workers however do not adequately reflect their labour market s4uation".
"
AUSTRALIA'S CF~~GING SOCIETY
In noting that society appears to be changing (rapidly) and in ways quite different than before, the Task Force was confronted with the problem of what to do about this. Before coming to" its conclusions, considerable-discussion focussed -- · -;:~::: .. â¢- -·on why. the changes were coming -~bout. From the point of view
----~:~~~:" .. ·_·-: .. of the "person-in-the-street" it is often felt that such
-~---_,-. ___ , ____ chan~t=s are inevitable: Society must change, there must be
,~ - ~~~~ ' ·· progr~~s, there is little that we can do about all this
. and above all we'll lose our competitive position in the
..... ::. :·~--- .:... . :· .
· ::, .. ·_ ·.· world if we don't accept the need for change~ ,.....; t:>·
f.!:.-~ .-Stir:!-.~~;;.:..~.-~ ... -- . ·: -:~·~:--;- ::· .. ,' ' ......... -~·--·--
....::-· â¢. .-~_:.:.: __ .. ~---~- ~ .'!"' â¢.. â¢'
·:.-.:.:.:...'".:.:....:. :. .. . :L·.".i:_ . __ :_");:_'-~
~~~j.~~~--r:=:_. .... :.-'. ,-. ,_ - ·...-,· .. ;.-,;;;.-. .. ~- _.-.,__-, ·'' - i~:;o.: â¢; ~-· _.,. ,._. ·fl-'--7--- ..;,,::. -r<⢠:-:;, .· --~ ;.;-.~ ;._~-· ---.
~~::--5f.~:~-4 _J;-:-·:.: .- .⢠, -~.. .:-:..... --..... ·z:::::::-.- ---- .... ; ------ -~- --- -·- ·-·- "':""''"
~~ ... ~'*~·::·..=.~ ... ~~~~~~-;,.c--:.~:-r--·-.... -~.~;::;.;.--;~-~-.;:~~~~.; :--:·~--~}f;.:·:·.·~ ::·::--·-:.;:-:· .⢠:-l·-;::. :.;·-.-:-~ ~~--- ~ â¢. -;:v-.r:.~":-r-;-;,~:..--~:: ... :....;;...... .......... ~-:...::.::·-:----::.-;~-:
~~-~~ft~~~~~~~~~:"~~!~c~ii£~!!~it~l£:!
\ '
- .. "
15
The dynami~s of social change are certainly very complex, but some experiences of Trade Unions may help make them appear less so. For example the crucial question behind the Teleco~ dispute in 1979 was management wanting to implement
new electronic excha~ges, because it was believed this would help Tel~com customers and improve efficiency.
In the banking industry the A.B~E.U. has been very critical of changes proposed for the banking industr~ including . . . mergers, and especially with respect to the implementation ---·~---·-~~--~::: .. ·;~:-.··_: by ·management ·of such· 'imiovations' ~s the auton{~tic teller â¢.. __ .,...._~-....:.;.r-~a.:, . .l:;>.~-...... "~4·-- -⢷ .. .. . .. ~-·· · ··--_~;E:~~:~~;._~~. ~~ploye~~_:·~t ~~e Government Aircraf~--Fac~~~Y- -i~ -;j_~~~~I~---··--:~~---~~~~__ :.:!:L.: .. ~.: __ have severely questioned the de~isions b~in.g ~~d~ by.: in~na~e"r;·e~·t'-"-. ' ....... ~--..._-_ ... --- . ··-. - . ~ '\ -~ ~ .. -·-
..... :...·.
:·: .. ~-:.-:-· ..
.-~-.. ~~ ...... -..l;:. :.-
... ,,,';".:!.⢷
···!'r·!.L'!-· l'-'·
towards the new types of equipment which can now be produced to "aid" design and production c~pacity ⢠.. .
-:_ .... _:';;..
In all those cases "competition'~ -is the key word. Competition requires ever improving productivity and efficiency, defined in terms of economic returns on ·investments. These demands led to management making plans unsatisfactory in their results
to employees. Therefore it was apparent to the _Task Force ·· · · that managers working in the "market leaders" - especially those large organisations and mostly foreign owned - were one _ group of people making decisions, the effects of which led - -- -. -· .. · . .: ... :;;:-~- --~-- ... - .... · to the introduction of new· technologies.··---~--- · ·· · -~- ---·--·"·-~- ... ····-·-----:;~-· ---~=-:-. . :::···:-::-· .... · .⢠-···-·.-7-·.;:n-_·· .. ··::.- --."_~"':-----·-----;-, ... --: ·~~ .. -
:."·'"'::!'.:::: · -~' It was also apparent that particular policies of government --~:~~: ... ·-~
⢷· ·-:-u⢠were impo-rtant. An especial b~e-noir of the labour movement .. ._..;.;,;,:;;
,~>~il;.:~_..::c'cis the investment allowance available to ·industry which -~:-~=~.f~<-cj:
; .... ~~:.,.:.:..:... â¢â¢ _ .. __ ., -·---~ :.-- ...: . .... ~t.;. __
:.:::-::;§·.:w_:i.'-.~·fosters an emphasis on using "high"· .technology to the detriment ~~-~:;. ,. . ' ~â¢.t.⢠. . .· -- â¢
:::~=~-~I~f -~m~_~oymen t_-genera ting techniques. --· · ---"-·--- ----~-~~~-~~-·c'··:·:·: ::cT~~~â¢.:;~~~~~~:~~~~
·::..r..~.: :, ·:.:.==:--::::~=::-:.:.-
:.--~12~;;~~~- --~~ ---~- ,\ ..: .. -~-: ·--·-' ,. --~- .. â¢' -- ~ .. --,~- -~ .. -:~;;.:~: .. ~- -~:-~-
â¢;;.. ;ff.::, ....... · Broadly speaking another group of decision-makers in Australia ""~"' '!""'::~.;"~'~:--.-..-:~~.:,_~--- . ⢠. -~
,,_ /i;:"·~·: .. ~:~·identified as supporting the application of knowi~dge not readily-:
ii~;~;;&~~- 'A , · ·, ::-~' -..:~ ·.,y· .. ; . ' .. ---~-·· ·.·' . --··. · "'l;!:. :· .â¢. · ·T:; ·;!'â¢. -1~-~~:~~-;- ·'·"',·-~.._~~~!~'t.:Y-:~~:~~
~~;conducl.ve to improved employment opportunities are the ""'~-"'~-~-:..:...:.b:
~~::~~~··'i~}:~,~#~::::=-~~~~.;.~::;~~t:.:::~-~~:_;_E!: __ .::~~!~!~~:;:~t:;~;.;~gsr~-
·''~'~';,~~~---~~~--~~::~a~it!L .. illl
..............
16
specialists: engineers, scientists, medical researchers, and the like. Many of these people frequently consider "questions" and propose "solutions" without thinking about . - which questions working people might want to ask or have answered, and what are the effects of their proposals for such people. Often it is an unconscious action, since considerations of this nature haven't been raised. in their ·'--·--·- --·· areas ever before. ~~~~~~~~~:'7~,~~~~::~:~2::~~~ ~:~~:~::~~;;;~~:·:·: , .. ~.·'..:.· ~:;;:~~~':·';:.~;'' :. ':'· '~ ~ ~ .,.. ·.~ ⢠.. ;c ,, . -~~:~~:~~~:~;::;:;;=.~-:~:.:,~.~~;--:~;·.::'::§;;,-.An imoortant ouestion-·of these times is whether or not the ·~;.L.,;~:.....,~;,_.,._, . "~~-- ~-·- . ·-~;.;;;[turbulence in tradi ti6nal social oa tterns in Australia is .. ~:. _;_-:::·::.~ ..... _ . .,.._ .... -~-·.:::::::::.;~'ouite different from that of the past? The .·answer to this -..;~ ... ,question has important ramifications for social structures. . ....... . ')''· .. ,~We have already commented that the rate of change in Australia .. -... ~---·. . . ~- .:. now appears to be faster than before but if the nature of the ··:;:::~change as well is significant,' how then do our present social ··:--organisations cope? It is a q·ues.tion as important to the Trade â¢â¢ w ·-:~::;~union movement and the ALP as any other organisation in society. --· .. .,~r::.:.-.... . ... =·-~ . -:-:::- .. :..::.:::..·: :·-·.:--:~~:-.~--~~~~-~-~~1A;:.~-:·.- -~ --- ·:;_·:·· .-~- ..... --~ :·::_. .,,_:,..·: .l.::.;~t:- .... "· ...... -.:... .. · __ .:.;.! ... ·. ~~.:·;:-:;·.;·;-:-::--:;-...:: ·------------~---~ ... ------------ -- ·-----··-..:J,, .:: .. ~ ~· Perhaps the most important indicato-r that change today is of a character quite different from before, is the concept that with less input more output can be gained. This is especially true of microelectronics. The silicon chip is ~ecoming rapidly smaller, cheaper and more reliable, but allowing for more functions and more sophistication as a consequence. This charactetistic is quite at variance with all past economic history. Publi6ly there has been a tendency to concentrate on the microelect'i:·onics part of the "new" technology when in fo.ct it t,:::·. has many facets. One other example, bio-engineering, helps to make clear the point that changes occurring in society · -- today are substantially different than before. Consider the ....... ........ :. . . ' . ___ ~~--~simple development of synthetic blood, or artificial parts -------. . . . - -- . .-..... ... -- .. - . ··---· .... __ ,. --~ ........ __ :· ~;---:-:-~·- of the body. .. Quest~ ions of ageing and death I)OvJ take· ·on a · .' · ~s;_~~--.~-- ·.: -- . : ...... _ , __ ,_______ ---~--~--- -- -~-~ ~~~;"~;;;"~~-~e '. ~il:. ~r:: se de~::~pment ~ â¢le:~~ ~~_.:!i~ >',~~~;: ::2:~~ ~~~;:1,:&::-~~~>.:c:..::; ;~::.:~ -~ ·. ~·.;.
.-... .... :-' .... '0"~···
-...--..:-;..,:.
17
societies? If so what is the role of the State in supporting
these people? What might ~hey do as active participants in society?
THE BROAD RANGE OF. 'l'HE ISSUES
The focus of this introductory section so far has tended to -- / .
be employment. The reason for this is at the same time both
simple and profound. It is simple because in order to be able to survive in Australian society today in a material and social sense, earning an income through a job is the way it · . ~ ..-.:.,.--.·
~:::~~~~=~~- ~?-~ :-=~~ .. -.:.~:·~~-.;~. ~~-.:~.;~ '''·' :: .. : .. ,~~--~:·· ~~-. :: ~~-- ;.:·.·_ .. ~~:. :; .: .. ~;.,,::-:;;;=~~~~~;~~~~;~·~;=~·;~:-~~~~: :;_:~~-â¢. ::;~.
1:=~=-~~-:~~.:..:.;.;. . . . ·---~ :- .. . . . . . . -: . . . -· .: ... : . :_~:::? ~-: .. ::· ·: -:-- _:~~-:.=..-~::·:~-:~ ::;::,:,::.::. :~; .. _: __ :::;--~ ___ -_
:~1i;;;;;:;:,;:.: "Employment is one of the major determinants of an individual's ~-:.:.- ·
:}S:'~'c:~~.::⢠economic and social status. It is the main source of income
~"· ..... -_,.for most Australians. It determines the level at which one -~-~ ..... -
--''0""h· ., can afford to live, and provides .the worker with a sense
of id~ntity and purpose" 9 --::-·--- -~~---- ··-
.. :.:...··:·
··-
It is profound in that the way i~come is earned and the social relations which accrue rrom such an activity are now being affected in ways at best only partially experienced before. "Although most people would probG!-bly say they wor_k for the
,'
financial rewards, most would a~mit that their work provides them with other satisfaction.s as well. There is the satisfaction
... ; .. .._. .... _.
~.of the \V"ork itself, there is t:-he social contact involved in
·most jobs, with co-workers at least, and the feeling of value and identification that being part of the acknowledged workforce·:-~~ ::~~:~~---~- provides.·' 1 .. .... ····--· . ---~- ::: -~;:.:_~~~:~::-~".:.~:;:5!~~~
___ :.·:.:.· ::_ .... · ..
----f~· ... ,'''1:'<''" .... , . . ·-···- _J: .. ⢠⢠.. :~·i . .;· .·
.. ;;.-· '- ---~r.~~~""::~.J-~;
. - - -
;:;~_;;:~:.,>;:'·":These are some of the reasons .~by even those who could afford
~ -- :-~-.:.L.
-.;:;~-:~:-
~s~~~J~_-not _to·~--·choos'e to- continue working. .~'!'he "group "inclu-des. those ~:~?:.5;,'. ---â¢â¢ :!: : ·-...... ·:·· ⢠·- ::--- ---~~-~-,--
.:..:. .. ::::.:-_::.-..,.:....whose incomes are sufficient to allow them to live in luxury, ... ::-;··~:
;..;:~~:~:..:~~~-:~;;- .. _.-... ~ ·.⢠.. . . ~:. . - : .-~ ........ - . ;, .:::;.c;_,..; ... ~-.- .. ~_;;_;j~-~
...:~_,..~,_ .. ;:.as well as those with more modest demands. These are also . , :;~~-~_;__
:· ;~.;:.-,: .. i::!~7-·: ~-. . ·-. . .. - . -.;.,.;~~-~:~:~ .. :_::.;;;:::~~-~
~;.;:~;::~~::strong factors in women moving back into paid work after .~:-;--...;..·, '· >:l~~i>.. ..
!&;~;:ria:,e.:,~~ chi~~~'~'a.~i~=. ·. , , , , . ,,·,. :.,, '"~-~.:::~2:,!;~=~"
~ &= ·Grimes Paper "Social Justice or Safety Net" _P32 .. :::::~:::.:!-.=:,:_=;;;.::r:::~~::.;.~"~-:;7~ ~ ~~~~-;~~~:.~c:-=··: ~EE~;I;'!Ff!..~:;_:~~=~~-:.:~;:;: .. '.~~~~:~~2z::;.:.::~~~~~~:f~lt!:£:.=.~:::~!:. ~-----..,...,--.----- --~------- ~--..,.-~,·--:-::·--.....-"':"'·_·---~-- .. ·----·------------ --~-----·---...-~----·~-·---~..,.._-- -,...--:-:""- ........... -~--- ---~-~--
::;!...;..:>.
18
Although the money is important, and usually essential, these other factors may be just as important. A recent English study showed that as people neared retirement they became
more aware of the significance a job had for them. The Grey ..
Power movements are signs of ageing people rejecting concepts such as compulsory retirement and seeking the option of remaining in the workforce". 10
The concerns of new technology are not altogether new for the ALP, nor the Trade Union movement. In 1957 the A.C.T.U. had
in its policy, statements about automation, and likewise in 1956, the ALP had similar statements.
What makes the present set of circumstances different from the Labour movement's point of view is that answers to the problems brought about by the changes today are required now when before they could be put aside as too difficult.
These early concerns arose when automation seemed to be threatening the jobs of clerical workers through the introduction of computers. Union responses were quick enough and recognised that the problems were quite directly to do with decisions made
by management. Consequently there was a call for management to involve the unions in their decision-making processes, a radical ~tep in Australian terms.
It is suggested by economists of a more sympathetic bent that a change in government policy would produce a better environment
in which industry investment decisions could be taken with the .. ~ : .. ~rt. result that development would.take place and the presently ~-:.. .~~· ... ::.~·=.!
-M·--â¢' ---·- ----··--~.:.---~-· ~·--#·â¢ ......... ........-.::....--,,~ 0 0 - 0 ............... - â¢â¢ M â¢â¢ â¢' ···----... 0 o,O
S~~-:~~l~~:~:: .. dir~~-5'; ··: r~-i~. -;-~-~-;~·::;, ... ~2~::~.: .. __ --~~-·-.: .. ,~ __ ,:;: .. ~; __ :.,._. -~-~-~~~6~~2~~~-.::~::Li!F£:-,{~~~:
~:0~:~~~:,-:·~-=;,~:~t::~~-~-':': ~; .. ··-~-. ·c~~~'i: :-- ⢠;;,;-;;,,-- ;'~=; .· .. ~·. _:.~. . '":.: .. :;-~;~:_T:. ·-~5{J.:'t/(~~}:??~f~
19
unemployed would be able to find work. The question is where would these jobs be likely to appear? Who would make the decisions to employ these people and for what reasons?
··- From the individual company viewpoint reducing the numbers of workers is an important part of their (narrow) accounting systems~ Sometimes this is quite beneficial to.workers in
that the jobs replaced are da!lgerous to health,· as workers have no direct contact with dangerous or hazardous chemicals. For
the majority of companies however, reduction of personnel ···-:---· .
. _.cC:.-';.';.C-'-=·· Or future Opportunities for growth in job availability . from th~t::::'
.:.::~::_.:: ___ individual company accounting viewpoint means fewer industrial
c:~~-,:~: ~:relations problems, and lower costs.
---~ .. -~. ·-.··~· .· . ~ ,.- ... --~:-~."..:."
___ ,,;;..;...._,_-~
.·.::·.~-.~
.. ~ ~~-.. ~~
___ ;..,. .. ___ _
~~~-:t-.::.: :·_ ~: -~-
:·~ :
·:·-:" ··::·· ."!~: .. ~ · . .-·
·/ /
If such is the objective then resources will be directed to this end. These resources involve systems analysis and use
<~":"_.
·.:.:.:.:.·d:.:~.f:- â¢
of "scientific" knowledge. Specialists are employed to solve problems proposed by management; and being proposed by management must of necessity be problems seen from only one viewpoint.
· .. ~ ....
Such a line of thinking has been expressed by the member unions of the A.C.T.U. when, in March 1981, they met at a Conference on new technology;
A.C.T.U. CONFERENCE DECISION
"This conference of ACTU affiliated trade unions, records with deep and grow~ng concern, the increasing effects upon employment and unemployment being made by rapid technological change in almost every industry. This is occurring with no prospect of adequate
alternative employment emerging in other industries to create sufficient job opportunities and to absorb private and public sectors". 11
-·····--··· --· '11 ·--···· .. ·· ~~~:"· · ··~ Report of ACTU Federal Unions Conference on Technological =:~~:.~'::::':~,,- -~-~·:~·:);::.Change March i9 81 P6
~-: .. : :.:-~~~:~~-:~~:;:~-~~~--;-~-~~- .... ---- ·.···· ·--- ..
~~;:-=~·~'t~~-~~;;··,'i~i5~~;:.~\t~~-!.-~~~-.-~--~-~~~- .. â¢:··
.. ....:-:,..;-.·-:: :: ,-~- ~-- -~ .. ~.:-. ~,; -~~-:~:.:.---· :.:;:.. ··.: .... .
, '
20
The resolution continued: "Conference draws attention to the increasing use of new technology and 'Systems engineering' to impose -
.. -
Worker subservience to the machine 'Built-in' surveillance Time and speed control over the worker Fragmentation and greater division of labour
including mental labour De-skilling with attendant attacks upon wage levels ..... .
Dehumanisation of relations between people in the workplace Inadequate health and safety protection Low standard ergonomics, both subtle and direct
Attacks upon unionism and solidarity.
Conference sees this as an example of the employer exercising class power in the work place and an attempt to remove any vesti~e of a worker exercising any control over their work; all in the disguise of technology \and systems engineering".
The debate on new technology and its effects on job prospects also came to a head through the 1960's with the Waterside Workers' disputes over the introduction of Containerisation. Resolution of this conflict was certainly important in the
producti~n of guidelines for coping with 'automation' produced
by the Federal Government's National Labor Consultative Committee (NLCC) .
These;guidelines refer to the necessity for management to liaise with unions when the introduction of new forms of technology is contemplated. Unhappily, the CITCA report (on Technological change) lamented that these guidelines had not been followed
by very many companies . .. _- ~ ⢠.......__. __ .. _M. â¢â¢"' o -· Oo⢠â¢â¢-"⢠,. ,,,â¢- ·--· ,,-- ~' â¢
~ ........ ..:·.
. ~ . . â¢" - , '
~--';;':::::-~~:-:t··_:,:~.,~~--~;;-:~~;~- --.-..:_:; -~.-.:.·-· ...
~---..-··.;.-:-~~~f..·:: :,.ft. â¢â¢ :: ··::·: ... â¢. -~·. ⢠.... -::~:.. .. <~·:·~- -..
-... :-.-:-·"-.. ··~--~'.-.. -.:..-- :---··· ... .... :- .. .,_..,.., __ ~itâ¢~:!'= .:oo.>olol>\-'.~ .._~~U.:':"'::'':"-'---~,..⢠···-;:_;:'r,-;,.~ tr.,;:v. _;~~: ~:-:::~:-~-;:;.;:;.;·-i:: i-r .... :~--::-~ .·-:--. -.-
~,~-.:.~~~~~-:-~·-:::.~::.~:.:;~~:~~-~I.~:;.~~---_: ....
21
Recognition by bodies such as the NLCC (set up under the auspices of a conservative government) of the importance of liaison, give support to the justness of union claims to be involved in decision-making, and certainly no less than to the
extent of being fullv involved in a co-determining sense.
Imolicit in such argOments is the idea that management ·"owns" the knowledge which becomes the physical machine or process previously difined as New Technology. Is this fact of. ownership really true?
Evidence is available to show that resources_given to R & D · --: .. ~·-···activities in the "applied" area in Australia are very small ---~ --- --- : ___ ;_';...;..:::.~..:.___ .. ·-- -· . . - ...... - . - .... .. . ,, -------------- .. -~-----
_:_:·.· ....
indeed. The Federal Government certainly is the major investor in terms of finance and people but this is mostly "pure" research, whilst private enterprise.~fforts are very limited. One argument put forward to explain such a
situation is that the large privately run organisations in Australia, with enough resources to carry out the appropriate work, are foreign owned so brigihal or even applied research is left to overseas parent companies" Therefore the answer of who
owns the new technoloqv-clearlv lies, in most cases, bv sources outside Australia. But if these sources are outside Australia how is the technoloqv transferred to this countrv? What form
does this transfer take and what are the consequences 6f these happenings?
The form of the technology transfer is usually through investment decisions and consequent financial allocations. Once company objectives have been defined and requisite tasks determined, the question of the transfer of technology -"'"" is all but answered. It is so· }:)ecause the management has
:.--~-~~:. designed into its organisational methods and tasks, the
.. ~-------···-··"new ~echnology" .
. · ·â¢ ..... ~ ;, __ ...:.
. __ ,. ~-=
·:· . '\"
... -~,....... .
...... -_ ......... ,. ................. -~--- __ ,... ""--· .. '. ~--
.: ....
....... ;: -
~-1:~~~: ;-~~~~:·:-~r:-- .. ! ·.:::::.:~- ·r.::
.. -. .. -.-:----·
r:-.!~:·~~4;'1?}".\"o;'i.-.. ,9:'- ,.,_;-J>. ~ '""''',:' â¢â¢â¢ -~. ,;,o⢠I 1 -;7 T' (:,,â¢1: ..,. â¢,⢠0 oo''''',,.. ... :
â¢(:J.i_'-7}.::,'t':; .. ::~"7.\- ;-::-.~·._:,;#.·,';. ',';_ ·:~:: ··::: ⢷ â¢.. : .;.:·;_. ~-. .⢠- -. . ... .,. 'r·, ... '- :·~ .-,. ~ ... . ...⢠, . ⢠...
;,~~~~IE~~~i~~;~~~~~~~"~~~~;:::~~~~~ .-~~:Q-~.;~-- "-~-~:...~~---· . .,. .. , .. .;,., ,:..... I ·.,q ,.;· ' ' â¢.
22
The ramifications of such actions are widespread. This point
is recognised in the Bureau of Industrial Economics report (1981) into the effects of New Technology. "The (BIE) analysis also highlights the importance of the interdependence between industries. Even a selective approach of slowing down the
rate of technological change in particular industries will have ·- implications for other· industries since all are related by input~output linkages". As it happens the gung-ho pro-technology
assertion of this report might seriously be doubted but the point of the inter-relations of industry certainly is not.
Arising from this is the question of what are the benefits -·--·~'-~·'"-~()r Australia from the introduction of technology made through
such mechanisms. Who is it that benefits and in what form ·are these benefits experienced?
At this point we must now broaden our analysis. The BIE report helps make the point clear. ·Discussing what industry needs might be satisfied in t~rm~ of community resources the report states "The workforce composition projections revealed the
need for a gradual upgrading of skills in the workforce as a result ~f the technological and other pressures for change to 1990-91 â¢.. ". The implication is that education and
training policies during the 1980's should be focussed on (industry) defined areas to ensure that the supplies of skills in 1990-91 match the demand for them.
Once we come to the question.of education we arrive again
a~ the hub of the debate hidden within the web of technological
innovation. What future society is required by the Australian community and how do we work towards achieving it?
. -~-:~·-·····-.
-~·-·:::-~~·:·we arrive at this point because it is a question both students
--:-··-·- .. - .. -.-and tea<;::hers must in practice answer not later but right now. _ ⢠.;.·: ,.L,.,., .⢠\.o- !···· . +·,- · Do schools, for example, keep teaching subjects' such as typing
. ..:";:..:...:-:. .
.. ':'. ~- '-
· . .-...:--
.. :_ .. ::.. .. ~
. :""": ..
.. . . . . . ~---- -....
f:_.' . . .::::~:.:.··r:.:~~!-· .:... . ..!~: :_~-- .. : ---- ..:: .. -- -'--~--
t"~:-- ·;":O.IJ':.~·.o:o:"' .-,~.- .. :â¢-"
·,··.·;·::;-: .-;;,-;: .....
.::.:~- ,·:::~~t~· ... ._·-:
0 -:-,, ~--,~·-:7"'::;;.,;;,,;;... ~ ''⢠-.:.-:-·~-~=::. ''', ;-~·-r,â¢â¢â¢ -- ⢠--.· â¢:':~:-M - ~- â¢- ·-:...;.::⢠00
,-;.:,·.~~---=~:;:.-a¢.~~~ .. ~-'"'7jl;l,'~--;._~~tr.·::.::.:;~-;:;i.~r;,_ ... ·;~:;~ . .;.:;.:.,~:;:~·:-:·~:;:·· ~----:7~:·:· .. ~ . ._.. ···-;·"-:·-;·!~~~--~- ·--;·.:,;-::·-:·_·_,:-~-::·.,::.:;;/~~·:;·;-:::~::":~.:-:::;:·~~~~:.
E~~~t~!;::",=-·-,~~~~<;-" rr-,"~~,·~ftli;t:~
23
to girls? or metal working for boys or even typing for boys and metal working for girls? In other words what skills are required of young people today so they can take their place in society in a constructive and healthy way?
This question can only be answered with some idea in mind of the future society and how it works. But what of this future society? What does it look like? Who will most influence its form?
Before answering these questions we must look at Australia not just in a national economic context but as a participant in a global economy and as an unequal sharer in technology transfer.
Australia's position in the global economy.
Australia plays an impqrtant role in the global economy as
a supplier of raw materials (largely under foreign ownership),
and the commanding heights of employment and production based
on sc1ence nnd technology - motor manufacturing, electronics,
computers, chemicals, plastics, food processing.- are controlled
by oversens corporations.
Australia has adoptL'O the colonial model of technology
transfer whereby technology is imported from overseas .:wd remains in the hands of its owners.
Au s t r a 1 i a i s p ~H t i c ul a r 1 y d i s .1 d vantage d i n com p a r i son w i t h
other technologically advanced countries with small populations
such as Switzerland, Sweden and Norway_ by inadequate public and
private investment 1n research and development, the low number
q[ patents taken out, the high rate of patent royalties (94%)
paid overseas, declining.participation rates in tertiary
education and reduced public expenditure in education ,generally.
24
In the medium and long term technology reduces employment in areas specifically affected and by changing patterns of demand for labour tends to encourage complementary types of work for lower wages (for example the rapid growth of unskilled
service jobs in the US during the 1979s).
Miniaturisation - the use of microelectronic technology such as microchips and bubble memories - has overturned the historic relationship between the cost of inputs and the value of outputs in such market b?sed employment, because vast
increases in output can be achieved with dramatic falls in labour, energy and capital costs.
Australia has left its run very late in some high technology areas, for example computers, and may be too late in some rapidly developing industries of which biotechnology is the most important, unless immediate action is taken.
Many high technology industries although prodigious producers
are not large employers.
Much of the new technology (e.g. microcomputers) could be
used to promote the decentralisation of power and to reduce inequities in information flow: in practice the' new technology is used to strengthen already existing power structures.
More than 90% of Australia's paid labour force are not directly involved in international competition and many of their jobs are placed at risk by new technology.
The quality and availability of education is central to increased economic growth and higher standards of living.
INTERNATIONAL CONTROL OF TECHNOLOGY
Australian attitudes about itself and the world have been influenced by European and North American views. Nevertheless,
25
since the 1960's there has been a discernible movement within Australia for a more independent approach to world events, ..... supported by both Liberal and Labor governments, until the present Frase-r government which has attempted to reverse
this trend.
Such a reversal in approach is bound to fail. The world
scene, and especially in the arena of trade, has changed irrevocably. The momentum built up behind these changes will overrun a policy such as that- of the Fraser government, with ~-- ... ~~ ...... ~
serious consequences for Australian independence. . .. ___ .. ________ ::~:~-~-;.:_~-
In the context of a report on new technology this point becomes very clear. The ILO,for example,:in a paper prepared on this subject has stated t:n.at· ".·.·.science and technology are at the root of most of the problems with which the ILO
has been, and remains, concerned."12These problems are to do '·· with a whole New International Ec-onomic Order - which -involves Australia just as much as; if not more than, other
countries and where large multinational corporations are
!- â¢â¢ :_;..""t.;. â¢.
·.-.... ~.,..,----
~-'>~~~~,~~' -·very much behind developments. >
~ .. ,.. ... ,.· _, t::.";~F-
!â¢"- -~·';";.':.:.'~~-:. ___ .. ;·.·..,; ... , ... ··-·-· ' ... . -"-'"'~-~"·---~~- -···
This ILO report goes on to note "It is no secret that the
objectives of multinational companies are essentially different from those of governments: multinationals are . 1' . h h . . . f f't 13 pr1mar 1y concerned w1t t e max1m1sat1on o pro 1 s. Australia's role in this-new international order has to be
thought ~bout in the context of iis present role as a supplier of raw materials, which are largely under foreign ownership, whilst :its commanding heights of employment anq production based on science and technology-motor manufacturing,
electronics, computers, chemicals, plastics, food processing are also controlled by overseas corporations.
-·-- -~:~-.:.:.~
. ..... ~-
.· ~--;~~-
12 _ ~echnology, Employment and Basic Needs: ILO Overview Paper ·::::::t"::::::::--. _ ........ ·c.. prepare_d for the UN Conference on Science and Technology . :::..~.:.-
:' ;Jt=~~i,~~: /:~: lop~en t: Page l. . ⢠. . . . , ;,''),~. ,';.:: :.',,::if!.:
.... ...: ...â¢
26
These problems are not, of course, confined to Australia. "Sweden, like many other small, industrially mature countries is facing considerable outer and inner strains . . ⢠. ⢠. Most of these problems are caused by fundamental,
irreversible and very rapid changes in the outside world~ Instead of reacting in negative ways as is happening under the present Australian Government, positive actions have been initiated by Sweden. Importantly, "During the last
four or five years a number of studies have been made of Sweden's industrial position and the available strategy 1
-- . . It 14
a ternatJ. ves.
A considerable debate has al~o been going on in Canada on
this same subject, with the result that the "present Trudeau .. government came to power committed to the 'Canadization'
----'-~~---··of key sectors of the Canadian economy and the strengthening - --------. ~--~· es·;..--.::..... ... o...
··· -~-:~:.--~::of the country's technological and industrial capacities.
-----~--- _ The indications are that this government will be true
· · ...... _.,_·····to its word. It has already put in place a national
~~. -·-!..:.: .-·: .:â¢
-~---;~ ...
. ··.' . . ~-
energy program â¢.â¢â¢â¢. (and) appears committed to the strengthening f h
. . . " 15
o t e ForeJ.gn Investment Re,vJ.eW Agency .- ..â¢
·--
With the legacy of the prese-nt· Government inaction Australia is particularly disadvan-taged in _comparison with other technologically advanced countries with small populations ---·· such as Switzerland, Sweden, and No_rway. This is caused by
inadequate public and private investment in research and development, by the low number q£ patents taken out, the high rate of patent royalties (94%) paid overseas,
. .. -;,-~--. ·;:..
.:::·.:<-.K~;:;: _declining participation rates in tertiary educati~~--~nd 4 _.:.;~~:.:.;_.:.; â¢â¢â¢ ~.~
reduced public expenditure in education generally. ·.: -.:..~. -· .............. . -· ·-.":- .... . ··7~--~-- .
. -~:~-~t}:~~j
-~ IL. :l ..:..;.:..::i.: : ..
-· '.. -~; -.: ~--- --.-.t,~A.~-:-
In effect- Australia has adopted the colonial model of ·· ~--~_.::::=~~~~--~:-:-:-.:;~-: ..., --- . · . .::"":.;_ ··.:;:::--:~:::: ... ~~:~~ :·-=~~-~·:"'?.~-:!. .\· . .. :?~it'";_ -~·-' ,__,._, .. _ _ technology transfer whereby technology is imported from _ ::_:~ _ _ ,._ <:
:;---...- ..... -.'!.!:~-~ ~ ⢠- -.. .. .·. ' . ·:. .. :-.~~--·-'..-:~St~~!:-~-:-:;·:;~--~_;,;.....-;:.:..:,.~·-?-
~-~--:r-~-;- --overseas and remains in the hands of its owners. This -··-~·~:~--""----:·~-~::_- -
:.;:~-:.:.:~:~::._._-:- . -------:-----. ----.":'~-~-- ·-· --:-...--~---- ------------ --------.- ... -· .. - -------···---~~--~--.. ""··---~ ----:·~-·-;i=7·;¥;e;: ...... ::-.. ~;;;" .:
----:··::, ______ is a disasterous -situation when it is -generally qonceeded ·~;:._-__ -~~~..:.;_ .. -:,"' --- . --~--~-- .. ·â¢t--· ·-- :~ ---~:::-··· .. . L-----~~· ···-- .............. ···;⢷⢠. . ⢠_.._ .. .,...-... ·-·--: :...~-;----;---t_·_-: .... --. ---.,~--·--~ ... -,_.·-·--·-~:::::F.:::.::.__:_...;. ~-~f:-:
·-:~--~- thi~ 'for. =-future'-o.,_";.:,_
-..... :;::':,_ -- competitiveness." 16
:~;._..:;.. .:-:· i ... :......:. .. â¢. ; . -~f â¢â¢ -...z;.·,;.~-. · . .:.;;..:.:ai-At-l.;.;·.
--=-=----· ... :· -""'-'.":-:""='.!-'-!~---..,..-~--- . -= -~~=:~·="~'
. . ... 14 . . -- . ~--=-
~. :,:~"- Ol ving S. Swedish Industry - problems, · Opportu.ni t~es .:'~:.,_=::::_
~:-~~.~.---.~~~=~:._::_;-~:::--and Strategies Paper prepared for a symposi urn on-~~;,;~ ___ :.:...:::,~-~:-:
;,:;;awn "'''R 'r "!~ .⢠;~._......._..,....--~- ---· :. â¢â¢ â¢â¢.. - â¢â¢. ⢠. ⢠⢠.. -.· ·--..... ,-.,...~---~~--- ..... __,_____
~~-#i:i.~;~~~,:-_·:;.;~;~J1anufacturing Resources in Aus_~ralia __ :: __ -~anber~~..:,2~~~:.~--"~
~~~~?~~r~9ti~E~~~!;;J!'£~: ~~~ ~- . -~- . GJ..Lmour · Irad r22 :.::,., ::. -c-Ol v~nq · In~d Pl2 :_:,..:;:;::;:.-:.
27
SECTION 2 POLICY RECOMMENDl'.TIONS
New Technology and Employment
One of the most sensitive political issues is the impact of new
technology on employment. Conservative economists (but also some neo-Keynesians like Fred Gruen and Peter Sheehan) deny that there is or can be any ~echnological unemployment, simply temporary dislocations caused by shifts away from some technologically based work to new kinds. The Myers Report (CITCAl took the same position). The ALP should reject it.
We repeat that historically - in· the medium and long term-technology -- -.. ·- .
. -does reduce employment in areas specifically technologically - ... _:.:.· . .:::_ .. . ~ii~~t~ci_---··-.rhe·- 'P.o.iicy r-esponses we adopt depend essen.tially·on. -.;.,~"':~· ... ,,~
.:: the attitude-;.,.~ take to· probable· work. ~~~traction> .::::.:t:::-::5·~~:~~::·:.··. · =:-~:~-:~~-~ ... - ~ ·- ,_,_. . - ...... ~--
... :: _:-····· ~- .:::".:-.: -::~~;_-_-.._ .. ~--.. _:·:::-:-:.·=-~·.:-:::
Is future work contraction to be regarded as: 1. An unqualifiedly bad thing? .
. _,._ - ....... .-... ~ -- -----·----- ... -- ..
2.
3.
An unqualifiedly good thing? . . :
Something that can be good, ?.r))ad, depending on what alternative methods of income redistribution are adopted and how people can find other satisf~ctions/rewards in life outside work?
There is an unrecognised paradox in the changing nature of the labour
force in Australia. We have, simultaneously, the worst unemployment since the Great Depression of the 1930s and also the highest labour force participation rates of any peacetime era. Many people who were traditionally in the labour force (e.g. young men) are now out of
it, while many who were traditionally excluded (e.g. married women) are now in it. Of course, participation rates are made artificially high by the increasing rates of part-time work.
Taking into account the increasing numbers of men and women in the age group 15-65 years who are offering for work, full or part time, or who would offer for work if we had full employment, there are almost 1,000,000 Australians unemployed, underemployed or discouraged job seekers.
28
= To restore one job for every job seeker 1 three alternative_._ =.,.e......::i~.,.,.,
... ·- ·------- --
strategies could be used: .. __ ---: .,_:~ .. ,::·~··-- ·-·~.--:-::~~ · -_,... - ... :-7..·· ;,..,~.-~- .r.' _;··-·.,.,_ ~ __ .=:;?:::.~;-: . .:.
· ··"'_,,:,:c.-...-·':-1 ·c t' 1 ooo ooo · b · -·-, ... · -···'-···=-'-· .. · ... -· ⢠rea 1ng 1 1 more JO s ._..,_. · -·=-.· .... ,, ·.:c-.·-""·--:--.·-"'--'' ... -~----'--~-==--. ·-- .... ----- , â¢.. ·-- . _ . ·· - ·· ~ .r .-ry.~--oâ¢::â¢Wi!'.""'..l..>~--.----;-:. :.'"!-".;;c.~·~::.;' ...::.:-:~·_:_:::::..::::.:.2. Reducing job demand by 1 1 000,000 or ~- .. :·'· .. ,-~:.':::~-::f~'-:-'-~:?_?':'~-'
- -- .:7~--3. A~hieving an appropriate mix of -job c~~~ti~~---~nd ~~-d~~~-a,-=:.,;;,,::·> .----·-···"" .... ..... ~~rk demand. -- "·â¢-::..o. - · ·· :=.~=~--- --~-~;~:~E::--::·~.:~::~;;};;.,:;,~::;
- .. --· .... :;.;_ ..... ···- ---·~..'.:.~:..- -- .. -~ ·-. - ... - ;: ..... _;;;.:: .·:::::.... ·. . - -· .
To the extent that technological change is recognised as a
significant factor in job loss,· there are three possible policies: · ··
. ,,;:.:.6i.., ...... ~"O..":,., .
1. To resist technological change where it may lead to job losses 2. To adopt technolQgical change on condition that benefits derived from increased output are used to provide social
·benefits for-people who lose work or 3. To apply a_variety of selec~ive measures to reduce the cost of labour intensive employment relative to capital intensive employment (e.g. phasing out pay-roll tax and
investment allowance) ⢠;. ... : .. ..;.:·---~ -----" ·-·~ --:: ... .::-.... . -~- . .:. .. _ . .,,_ ~- â¢â¢. _: ____ ,_;.....,...._ .... ,.-⢠.;.-..._,,._-.~: ... w:i' . ..:.:_.â¢.;.l!.,:.""'0'11!.\tc ··- .⢠.⢠-....--.::.....:~;.;.;.,..,.-.â¢
;_;~-When people ar~ committed to the traditional work ethic, the
prospect of long-term contraction in employment is intolerable and many would prefer work, however boring, exhausting and · ........ ,.
poorly paid, to involuntary unemployment. But what of voluntary alternatives to unemployment ~.a.meaningful choice of early retirement, recurrent educatiori, 'and a diversity of life-styles, based on individual autonomy, economic self-sufficiency and personal
growth? Because the ALP, -for histo~ical reasons, is more con-__ servative and defensive about changes to the working life than
the community at large, it may be harder to sell policy changes to the Party than to the electorate-itself. But this is no
reason to postpone tackling the is~ue. ·
Policy Princip~es:
The Australian Labor Party
~- 1. Asserts that the Australian people have t.he right. to make -~.:.:~"".
: democratic choices about technologies 'to be adopted, their ownArship,
.--,::";~~~ rates of adoption and appropr.iate .social responses.
-~~-~~-
â¢. ~;. â¢â¢â¢ â¢.. !·1 ·· .â¢â¢ ;;;..,: â¢. ⢠~. '1. l ~;._;::,_· ·.";':'~:~,; â¢â¢â¢ ~- ;:.. ⢠⢠--~~ri:..:.:.-no â¢'''' '·'--...
,:-.
29
2. Rej~~-ts the prevailing philosophy of "technological determinism" that is , the concept that nations have no alternative but to adopt particular forms of technological change regardless of . -· ⢠-.... ,., -;1..:;:-4;.;:·. ,·;;-r,.._-;.;-:~.,_,.
~~!fi~Z~\~~r;f~~. ·····â¢ ·· :;::'L. . " , :· ··:: ·â¢ .. : :· - ~~~·~--~; ... ~d~~J~~~ ~;.;.?~3 !-~_Labor. ... ~~ll .:"i~opt -~ __ plura_l1st _approach to .. technology, ~ttempt1ng .=, - --· .. ,. - . . . . . ' _., ...... ····---~---- - ...... ,.-- ... ~-~--··· .... --.---·--·:·--"":"""⢠....... ~.--
~~~~~~tC>~---f~nc:( that mix c_Q_f "t:.echnologies most_ appropriate._j:o satis.__fyi!lg. _ '_.;.~.o
!li!it5.~~~~.~~:~;~~~.·~~~":=~~ .. ~~~_o-~~;~:~~t~t~~
4. Rejects the colonial model of technology transfer which has been adopted in Australia by which technology is overwhelmingly under foreign ownership. Foreign investment guidelines must be amended to ensure technology transfer into Australian control.
5. Declares that Australia must assert its own technological sovereignty as has beert·done by small nations such as Norway, Switzerland and Sweden, and reverse the declining capacity of . . .
individual nations to determine their own economic goals in a global economy._ ~--
6. Expresses its support for technologies which complement and enhance human capacity, dignity and diversity. -- .... :...:.~~:~~~~- --~~.::::.:·:~·:~.:. -----···-
.--._.:.-...:.. - _ _:-.;...__ .. -- ..... "- .. . ...... , .,; . ....:.. :... '-· ·---- - ....... ·- . -- ·-·-· .⢠-- . - ... , __ .__ .;.,_. ___ ,;,; ... -::.. · _ __._,._~- .·. - .... - ............. ..⢠...:.:. ....⢠:i-.~:":..a__:"_ .,- . ...:.~:..~·-:-_-· ~--;-~.~~~.:i;.;.:;;b.~-..:,;·:;h~;: __ :~_: .. ·_.:;.:~.:&a.: ....
. . . .
7. Declares -that the introduction, ownership and control 6~ high technology should not be left to market £orces alone.
8. Recognises that decision making in Science and Technology - policy areas must take account of developments in education,
social security, communicatioris,' manufacturing industry, urban and regional development, and industrial relations both in Australia and. abroad. Major decisions should be made after considerable public debate and not left to expert professional elites operating in isolation.
.⢠····~':'t'..;, â¢â¢ ~
9. Recognises that 'Information' is a resource, a critical
'-;;;;:_:.·; ..
-~ .. :
.. -.. ;: .. -r
element in economic growth, a factor of production and that 'Information workers' are the largest single employment sector ~--in advanced economies. ~~ --· -- ......... -- ... ·-::_":""_,......
30
..
10. Acknowledges that legislating for free access to and exchange of relevant information, based on technology assessment, as a 't·--.·:-·. ;-;:_:::=t-i:::-.:::· -· __________ .result of a requirement for full disclosure and public scrutiny .c~--~ ·
~'·.:~~-. ...=~f plan~ed changes, are more likely to be s~~~e-ssf~-1- th~~-c-·=o:.~-~-:;__ --i:~~:::..:~_:
~-. .........,.,..;- ___ .: ~--~ ; . . . -----·- .. ----~ ... -~~~---~~-
··'1:, .. _setting up regula tory authorities. · ·· · · .: __ ;. ·· · -·-·.: · --"---··-··7·=:;.:.::;;~ ·-···:.;~~~â¢"~-
.J ...... . ~ -·· ~'..! -~
. ···-- ~t --·· ·-- â¢
.. ⢠::.r.::.:-:-:-::.;,;:- ........ ~ ·:..::~·;-:-~~~~-::::~ ;: .. :· -~-~?-:::=-:-~-
... ~-~-~--:·:--:~~~.;:;.~ ~..;:~~--~-- -- :- : . ·. --~'.., -- ·-·· .:4:·: ;â¢â¢to⢠.... , ..... ·>.:.- ~~-;.~~:i--.. ·.· ~-~;,.-q.';: --~
~:::: _--::~·- _ 11. Adopts the concept of setting
1
limits to throughput 1 _;_(as --~--:_""S-=';7{:f_~ ,..... ·.â¢.râ¢â¢··"~ . â¢'â¢. ⢠⢠...â¢.. --r."--. :;'~~---~~;~.:-:-. . .. . â¢. ·-··· ..... ~_.... . :: ·:-~.:::-.: ;::.:;:~~;."::recommended by the Canadian GAMMA Report and the Government of _ ;;;.~~-~~::.Oregon) rather ~han. 'limits to gr~~-th I . (~·~< ~;ged. b-;· th~---ci~b"·=~f --~~i~~c·_ ~~~~------- . - . --- ...... __ ·-·· __ _. ~. -·-. ---·-· ····--·~---·'"·_:_:: ... . ,.. :.:._ ~;.-·.-:,;.~-~--~ ·- - .:.;- _,..:~_-;_:_ ---~-- . .::·.-::-.:: ... _,: .. -.~.:.:_:~~--~:;:-.;.~ .. :.::.-::~""!.~~~· ~~!:::·~'_,:_,Rome) in order to reduce waste and avoid excessive use of resources. ;~:;;-,,:';"":':::: : .. :.·i··~·.,; .. ; ~'-~"-;,;o..,.;.:. ,.-~~: .⢠,:~.: __ .::c.·~-. "'':~:~~,~', ... ,.. ~~~~~:-;~~ · ::: :;.:: :~:;~~:.;::~::~;:--:::;~~E~:~;~.:.:_;:,~~~i; 12. Recognises that rising levels of investment in higher education and R & D have a decisive impact on increasing the quality of life and economic standards than any other factors. 13. Will promote excellence in science and technology even where there is a low probability of an immediate or short term economic return. -~-Immediate Action Proposals: 1. Collaborate with industry to provide appropriate incentives to raise total investment in R & Din socially constructive areas.=~ This action should involve reaching a pre-determined goal, around ·--.·::.;:..:.;:.,~, the levels of such countries as Japan ( 2. 0% of GDP) , the United ... ______ .. Kingdom (2.1% of GDP), West Germany (2. 2%) and the ·uriit-~d States=~-,-:-_ ' -- ._.:..:-_: (2. 3%), but for all research to be of a socially constructive ------:~~:: __ ... ,. --. ··· nature and not, as sometimes is found in the _example countries, ·· -in armament and defence areas. 2. Require foreign owned corporations in Australia to invest appropriate sums in R & D and-to_glve Australian enterprises access to foreign owned technology pefore expatriating profits. 3. Transfer of technology to Australian control should be a ··: pre-condition for foreign exploitation of our natural resources, while still encouraging the intensive development of indigenous technology*. However negotiation on this point might be necessary given the significance to company strategies and profitability __ of particular technologies which they hold. . -···.. . . ----~--..:~:.:.~-'--.. "~~:..,;;_, __ ~~..:.:_ ~;~-~~~-~;-~<-:~.*""' _ As illustrated by Norway's rapid advance in offshor.e ·oil rig--~?~'-~~ ~L-d:~:~:-!:7-~~~hnology. _ . . .. .. ··::·:~~i~i:;,;:f~';:)'~T$
31
4. Examin~ existing technology agreements with a view to reducing --- costs and limitations on local use, and encouraging the develop-~--=---- .â¢.
ment of low and intermediate labour intensive technologies where ----- appropriate (as in the Lucas Aerospace Combine Shop Stewards' " .. .. . . . ·, . ~-,.
--~=~----Corporate Plan). -- - ------ -- ------. ___ ____ --------,.-:_:·:_=-,::~=~~.:~
____ ,..,_--~.-
5. Liaise with other countries and with Australian-based companies to develop a pool of information on prices, technology agreements and related issues.
6. Examine the long-term implications of highly sophisticated and integrated technology on Australia's capacity for local .â¢-control and national autonomy.
/
7. Amend tax laws relating to corporate subsidiaries to reduce the inequities of transfer pricing, especially with respect . to technology. ... --------·----- . ····-··---~ --------
_____ ..;,,.
. -· ···- . --····-···--
;,C;:~ei;': .·~⢷ â¢. 8 â¢. Participate in new joint ventures with the collaboration :-.- ·----.~--- ·-·"' ~v.~-'--"
of trades unions and private enterprise, _by providing ~~~k capital facilities and expertise as required and as seems ~ '. . -. ·'· ~:_.~.
-·appropriate to establish new industries based on scientific and
:: ,. ..... ~-- -~--~ !:~ . .:.-.::
technological innovation, eg. in biotechnology, information systems, solar energy, microengineering {including the development of shape memory alloys) . ·-
9. Assist selectively, ~mall busiriess enterprises in high, intermediate and existing technology by setting up an investment fund to provide risk capital in the most appropriate way (which might include on the basis of public equity proportionate to
the public funds involved or Government loans} recognising that much innovation in high technology industries in the US has· come from small, highly personalised enterprises rather than
_.,_._ ... :~ .... --..-
. . ...... _:.: ~ ;~....::.:-.
from giant corporations.
... ··-·. ~· ...... _____ ..... ~.'!-·. .....~___.- ......... - ..... -f"·--·'--·'"-"""'~-~
,.. . ···-~--.r..
: ... :-----=-----·-~-.----:---- ::.:::::::-f--; ~;-
·-- .. - --- ;.~~~~--
10. Require the provision of information or prospective ... ·.:·~:--'::. technological developments industry-by-industry, so that -~~---~=;..;...?-~-:-;
·--.-.--·
_,.,,.. , ___ Parliaments 1 Trade Unions 1 employer groups· and concerned· -~o::.:-~.;::;;i:;:~l= ..... ..,.-:' ... ------ . ;"'~:::---: .. ~;.;,. _____ --~- .. ·····-· - citizens are aware of the nature and extent of proposed tech- -::::::,:~~·:; - -·-.-··-----·~ . -··· .:· .. ;._..-__ ~--:::-:--=::.~- no logical changes and can take part in appropriate consultative -:: :._ · . .. --- .. ' " ... . . . .. _ ... ~ .. ...,. :. .. _ ... processes, including public enquiries as directed by a Minister. :._:::·,
32
'~ ,:~-- ......U.;,': ·- ,".1,'·â¢·· .. ⢠⢠-; ...... :..·. -. ~ .-........................ .
·~==-~, .. ~. '--~- -· ·â¢ ⢠.,., ..... _; -·~ ⢠-~··~~~-"::""~·-~---~. -~·--::w⢠·--~ -~.,..-~~~:.:...·:-r .
.. :;;;~::,~~:~:.11. .·.:.Adopt the principle of the Swedish Joint. Regulatio~"i~ ·. · .. '~~~J.~·p:··,
,_~,,:.-⢠..-~~ .. -~~---·-·~-- -~· â¢. !''.z'.~~!-'';;_ .... '.ol :. â¢â¢. -.;.· .⢠-· .-~:-. , â¢.⢠, , ·-.-~~-- ::·.,..~~!~~.
:~::~:;:~o~Working Life Act (1977) to provide that prior i'nformation about"-.:,:,:'.::.:,
:~··::;:.-:. .... ;t·~~--~- , .. :.... .. · .. · _ ... _ · t ⢷⢠⢠-· ;;,···:.: - : · ... ⢠.. ·· ;--:-;·-:-,::_·: ··: ._,-;-.--.:-·:-::;::.-·~ :._-::·x -~--- -~-: ·:.: - --::_;:;..~?-.·
::-::_l.~----- proposed technological ·changes "shall be g~ ven by its proponents -:t·.=::.::::::.
~~:::to. approp~iate'\inions' and that_negotiatio~s ~hould f.~ll~w to .. ::.=-:.~::~~~-~: ·~-~----~- .. ... . ·-··· .,. -----' --·-··-=----~ â¢-------~---- .! ......... .O.'"....;:"fi<.:~...:...
ensure that any proposed economic benefits are shared.
llA. Support unions and employers entering into technological agreements, and to facilitate this sponsor a test case before the Arbitration Commission to establish minimum·standards, as defined by the ACTU or relevant unions, being inserted into the
award. ·-
Listed below are a series of points which might be useful as a guide for unions when considering exactly what should be within â¢" '"⢥..··
the provisions:· __ i.::..'·:.....:.
a) notification of a proposed change at the contemplative .··: .......... ,.
..c .. ·----.:..::.·- ..... ..;_, ·-·.t....:. â¢â¢ :..
stage--of management operations. . ····- .. , ... :.._ __ ,,,_,~.i_, ___ , _____ ·-·~·- .... :.:.::..:2'::.::.:...
. b) _ .. a technical explanation of the nature and scope· of the · -
.. -. proposed technological change in language understandable by
the employees. c) the proposed way the equipment will be operated. d) advise of familiarisation arrangements proposed for union representatives to assisi i~ making proper evaluations.
e) a comparison of the designation, numbers and levels of staff expected to be required with .the operation of the equipment with similar information in respect to existing staff in the work areas affected .. f) where necessary proposals for training of staff including
re-training of existing staff. g) advise on expected benefits of introducing the technological
change cdvering quality of work, service to the community, and the broad cost implications of affecting the change; and h) implications, if any, of the technological change to the occupational health and physical work environment of staff
employed in its use, and for any other aspects of quality of working life.
33
--·--·
· 12. Provide that when technological change increases productivity
--·
consequent benefits are shared equitably throughout the community.
13.i Establish a Joint Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology. Under the Fraser Government the role of Parliament has been down graded. In order to restore to it the active and informed role it should have in determining national
policies, with a well-thought out brief, s~ch a Committee is considered important. The relationship with the Minister may be awkward if that person is not on top of the relevant portfolio, .â¢- . but in all other·circumstances the role of the Committee would be
to ensure .the complex issues before the parliament in this area are properly considered.
ii Establish an Office of Technology Assessment, within the ·····-···-·_parliament, which will service both the Joint Committee and the ---·-·· "'':J,2.,.._ __ Parliament generally, by providing reports highlighting the range -of views and issues on scientific and technological matters
,,,··'--··" ...
-,:,.., .... --
. -~-r-~---.. _-;..·-:--·
referred for assessment.
14. As has been the practice in many countries stimulate public debate and information flow ~y establishing a Commission for the Future b~?ed o~ the New Zealand Planning Act (1977). Its members shall include the Minister for Science and
Technology, an Oppositio~ representative, and the Chairman of CSIRO. Its function is to assist. in the study of the long term
implications of technologically based social change, and to initiate an ongoing public debate. It is envisaged it will do this by publishing discussion papers arising form its connections with other bodies, from contracted work or because of the skills of
its membership. Its contribution to the public debate is through participating in television and radio programmes, preparing newspape~ and magazine articles, and stimulating discussion within local government, educational bodies and community groups.
15 ⢠Establish a Cabinet O:x:>rd inating Committee which will include
the Minister of Science and Technology and such other Ministers as are designated by the Prime Minister to co-ord~nate Government policy responses to technological change a1~ related matters.
34
. 16. i) Expand and rotate the membership of the Australian Science ~~·::and Technology Council (ASTEC) and widen its terms of reference
-~' 'to .. enabl~ .ASTEC to ·act as a council to examine in some detail ~ '
medium-term implications of technologically based social change. It is envisaged to act as a resource body for a process of
consultative planning, to foster discussion among government and other agencies concerned with planning in economic, environmental, social and cultural fields, but specifically to submit advice to government on priorities .
. ⢠-·
ii) ASTEC shall report directly to the Minister of Science and Technology and hold joint meetings with the Cabinet Co-ordinating Committee as required.
·ii1) ASTEC shall publish reports of its activities as required by the Minister of Science and Technology. ~ .... : ... _.:.. ..... -..... -~ .... ·-· ... _....-:....___,_ ......... _, __ ~ _;.. . ... ~---
·.· "17. ·Give Australians a greater range of options in working
life-styles than are provided by market force~, including shorter working year, shorter working week or shorter working lifetime.
_ 18. Chang~ tax laws to provide ~or a great~r degree of equity between the cost of capital and ~he cost of labour, i.e. by reducing investment allowances and phasing out payroll tax.
19. Raise educational participation rates progressively to levels comparable to the US, Canada, Japan, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and other technologically advanced nations to ensure that Australians are not denied future opportunities which may be made available thr?ugh technology because they
have had inadequate education. Every citizen shall have the right of access to Recurrent Education.
20. Provide means to encourage cultural and social diversity to give Australia's people a greater effective choice of satisfying life-styles, recognising that machine capacity . (e.g. computerised robots) is capu.ble of outstripping particular
human capacities, at a far lower cost.
..,._
35
EXPLANATORY ORGANISA'I'IONAL CHART
CABINET
Cabinet coordi--~~ 8~~~7~ tlh-:-·--t
DST
CSIRO
~--ta-----
i.de expert .~e on
Lfic/ ral :!cts to
rnment.
COMMISSION
THE FUTURE
Aim:
~--- I
I ----
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Catalyst for community discussion of broad options {Not advisory: part of the information flow).
PARLIAMENT
\}
MST = Minister of Science & Technology
DST = Department of Science & Technology
OTA = Office of Technology Ass0ssmcnt
~
ASTEC = Australian Science and Technology Council
Joint C'ttee on S&T
O.T.A.
Aim:
Provide adversarial advice (pro + con) on specific subjects to Parliament.
36
21. Make appropriate and comprehensive changes to laws in complementary areas, icluding:
Health Industrial Relations Education . . - . . Arts, Med1a and Commun1cat1on
~oc ial_. Security
Taxation Manufacturing Foreign Investment Monopolies
...... -· ".:~---· ---~-::~~::.-~ __ ,._._. ____ --.·- -~ -~ __ _._. - ~
:..~---.....:- --- ··;... --~~--·.:..·.; ______ .,_ ·-. --· ·-····--· - .. . .....
~W....:\.1. ⢠.: â¢â¢ :.!~ ;..:...,~- .r: .... ~~-.:....:.:-:-.-=.:~ ........ : ⢠..;..: ,....:;;.._ -- . .:_· ~- ..... - . ⢠: ;,; . ...:.:.... ....:;;;o. ·-· .⢠-.:.:... â¢â¢â¢â¢ -.--. ----· -~-~---· : . .: â¢â¢â¢
:.~------·i.. ..... __ ... __ .,.,_~:-;:.:_ __ -~ -~--::- ·:. · .. ::: ... --~- ;..;,:_~;;:._ t --
22. Provide that communication satellites be publicly owned. -~""'-""····· . ...., _______ --":.::.:-23.:::: Legislate for a National Information Policy.* ~-- ----
The Long View
. .: .
·-.·
A courageous policy on technological change and employment,
taking an optimistic long view~·w6uld include the following elements:
1. Initiating a national debate into the relevance of the traditional 'work ethic'.
2. Redefining 'work' (to include domestic work, study, 'Do it yourself', and adding their imputed value to the ... national accounts).
â¢/ .... â¢
3. Introducing Guaranteed Income {along lines of the Henderson Report) .
4. Introducing q National Superannuation Scheme (but more generou's than the Hancock Report) and provide for maximum benefits after a 35 year working lifetime, which might reduce thereafter. (This would be a psychological inducement to
leaving work early: in any case people who stayed on at work ·:would aggregate more than early retirees). ..... -'tl"â¢, â¢â¢ ... ⢠⢠. ... â¢. __ :_
-----~-- -- ___ ..,_ .. -
... ....... . ... .
----·'---:
~~~~~.=;~-:.~-=--~-~= ...... 7j-~_-:--.· --~·:·"-"-~·. ";~-- .. -··---·~~:.~·;--·~····-·- ... . -:~---·;·,:::. ----·:-;~·:~::;-:,::--.;-~---;-~-::7 .. -······-·--::-::..
... . -~ See pages 41-43 of this Report. ~~..r::-·-:-··.:;;;.~'-:;#::.~-.:.:- ;_. -- ..
._ ... ~,;.:-:-~:o-~0.:...:- --~~:-=:-! --~~-::.:-.;;._.::;...â¢-. â¢.·· ., ···- -, ..... ~ .'~-:"! . t
37
5. Makino Recurrent Education available to all.
6. Encouraoing more innovative and stimulatino activities in arts. recreation. crafts and culture oenerallv- esoeciallv in the regions which need it most, to oersuade oeoole that there are other worthwhile things in life other than 'work',
(narrowly defined) and-that withdrawal from 'work' should not be regarded as social death.
7. Recognising that where technology threatens personal autonomy and lack of faculty, the best response is to take action to strengthen personal autonomy/faculty e.g. by education (rather than restricting the technology itself).
8. Emphasising monitoring of ownership, control and use of technology rather than the technological form itself.
38
SPECIFIC ISSUES - POLICY PROPOSALS
The resolution of the 1979 National Conference raised several specific issues for the Task Force to address. These are covered in this section of the report.
Within this report the whole question of what is work and its relationship to the individual in society is touched on. In order that there be no confusion 'work' here refers to' the everyday activity defined as employment; earning an income
through labour (itself defined in the broad sense) .
Such a definition is necessary, as an article by Boris Kabanoff of the Flinders University in South Australia makes clear.
"The meaning and the relationships between labor and leisure, work and contemplation, or in the mos~ general sense, work and non work have been a source of intellectual, political, and religious debate for a considerable period in Western history. However,
the view that the interplay between labor and leisure forms a major social and intellectual problem is a largely postindustrial phenomenon (Wilensky, 1960). Wilensky proposed that there are a number of social trends linked to industrialization ·that
account for this development. Industrialization resulted in a major segregation of roles between the economic and non
economic. Work became distinct spatially and, to some extent, socially from other role systems of kinship, religion, politics, and education. Thus the previously highly integrated system of personal roles became disrupted, and this separation resulted
in a clearer recognition of the dualism of work and leisure.
i. Asserting the right to work Is the right to work exactly the same as a duty to work? We
need to be careful not to overvalue work and undervalue non work, but it is essential that a party such as the Australian
39
Labor Party, with the word 'labor' in its name, and which historically has always been supported by the overwhelming majority of the working class should begin with a commitment to full employment. Legislation will not, of course, automatically
produce full employment - but it is an indication that the community accepts moral responsibility for achieving the goal . . -Action proposal:
Assert as a national goal the right to guarantee full and appropriate employment for those able and willing to work.
ii Redefining the concept of work The work ethic is the Catch 22 of capitalism: our self~esteern and the opinion that others hold of us is m~asured almost entirely by what we do rather than what we are. Thus, an
employed person of sixty-three is _perceived (by himself as well as others) as being of much greater worth than he will be as
an unemployed person of sixty-five; and a person who is forced into retirement by illness is immediately regarded as having lower status and value. -This state of mind is also a major disincentive to early retirement, with its implication of
'age-ism' and 'statutory senility'.
The exaggeratedly absolute position asserts that work, however
debased, is always good, while non-work, however welcome, is almost always bad, a form of incapacity and humiliation. It is as if work were seen as a raft in the middle of a shark
infested sea: being on the raft means safety and security, being in the sea means disaster; the idea of moving on and off the raft voluntarily has no appeal. There are winners and losers: no intermediate position is possible. Often the
unemployed, invalids, old people, and women at horne, feel reject~d, and lack self-esteem and a sense of -meaning and
purpose in life because they do not work and are often 'put down' by those who do. Most people accept work as an essential part. of their lives, giving them a sense of worth and achievement, -----~nd the workplace_ is an irnportarit element in .their social ... _, _ _,_ .. -~ ...... ~ ....
_ relationships. =:-::::.r.-~.~~:.:-~::· ....
,_,
..:-.:":...:..:..:.-_;:-;.
··-'1,;, ,;_·~·.'''":~~·;:._ T'.,
:~~~~~;~_:·;;-,;~~~~:~'· ..
....:.-~~~~-:~::;~~;'-_ . ... · ..â¢..
40
Work appears to be economically, socially, psychologically and
perhaps even physiologically necessary for most people, and withdrawal from work - while welcomed by many - is dreaded by most. Yet while recognizing this , we should abandon the masochistic doctrine of work for work's sake. There is nothing
inherently life-enhan9ing in performing boring and exhausting work year after year unless you actively prefer to do so. If the use of the bulldozer and traffic lights were banned in times of unemployment, many jobs in pick-and-shovel work and
traffic direction could be created - but this would be socially pointless. We ought to welcome loosening, if not breaking, the chains that bind people to work.
For many people, unemployment has disastrous personal implications. Unemployment and leisure are opposite sides of the same coin - but psychologically their impact is totally different: one is feared, the other is eagerly sought.
Unemployment is identified with rejection, uselessness, dependence on others, poverty, deprivation, the sense that the value of one's own personal time moves towards zero, and the elimination of the power_to make significant personal choices.
Workers face an unpleasant dilemma. Technological change is adding significantly to unemployment for the poorly educated but existing modes of employment continue to exploit a fair-sized unskilled proletariat in unpleasant jobs. About one worker in five is still physically disadvantaged by working
conditions - on assembly line, affected by excessive noise, heat or fumes, inhaling asbestos, digging underground, lifting heavy weights, working in air conditioning and having to do excessive repetitive movements. Should such jobs be done by machines. Yes, but we must reject the facile optimism that
suggests that all displaced workers will find new and agreeable jobs in the brave new world. We appear to be ~xploiting much of the working class and unemploying an increasing part of it simultaneously. New Technology can provide enormous increases
in output and raise consumption levels appreciably while decreasing the rieed for a large labour force. It is essentially·~~ a matter of choice whether" the results of this-cha.·n.c;·e .provide .. -::~~- ... , '
:;;"!:~;hardship ·ar ·benefit for society~ ·.·: ·.· 'o · · '- -~:~:;/;:·:::~:::-:~ ~~~ ,._-_-~::·~~:~":;· ~-~-~~~:~,:_-;_:_: ~·
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4 l -·~~
_, If society adopts wh.J.t the Tu.sk Force dor~s not recommend, a
high productivity plus low employment mix, it will be necessary to provide economic, sociu.l and psychologically satisfying alternatives to work for those without marketable skills. It follows from this choice that society:
··::
. - 1. Recognise that work need no longer be the primary mechanism for the redistribution of wealth. 2. Base education on the personal needs of eac~ individual rather than the industrial needs of the community.
3. Encourage individuals to recognize the value of individually determined time use.
4. Develop new forms of participation and recognition.
None of these alternatives will be easy. But they are inescapable,
and must be tackled immediately.
The greatest contribution to-work-redistribution in a post
service era w~uld be to accept a 35-year working lifetime as the norm rather than the 50-year model which is still regarded as typical for working-class males-although this is not the case for women or the tertiary educated. Eligibility for maximum retirement benefit could begin after say
thirty-five years' work (or less if medical or other special circumstances are involved). Since those who choose to remain working after this period will benefit by continuing to receive wages for a longer period, this might lead to a proportional
reduction of retirement benefits where a choice is made to work forty, fifty or even sixty years in exceptional cases.
The basic SO~year to 35-year reduction would not occur immediately, but could and should be phased in to coincide with changed demands for labour which may accompany the increased use of appropriate technology. This would enable technology to
realize the hope promised, but never fulfilled, by the Industrial Revolution: to liberate humanity from boring and life-denying -~--labour ⢠.. ·â¢'""-~-~-. , .
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42
For those who found it psychologically necessary to continue working even past thirty-five years, even at tasks which most of us regarded as boring drudgery, the option must be kept open. Early retirement should not be made compulsory - because this
would simply exchange the problems of youth unemployment fo~ the problem of aged unemployment. Retirement at the age of fifty-. \ five works well enough in Japan because the Japanese family structure adjusts to it. In Australia, it may cause enormous
psychological problems of boredom and frustration - unless the concept of recurrent education can be made to work, and unless people begin to value free tim·e for its own sake.
The traditional work ethic asserts that work means income and the power to make choices, and that free time means impotence and rejection. Often the reverse is true, and free time represents power to make choices whereas work means response to economic
necessity - performing tasks set by someone else. The 35-year option may help people to conclude that it is better to make active choices on their own behalf rather than passively accept decisions made by someone else for them. The question of life
after death has always occupied human thought.: basic changes in human working patterns may stimulate interest in the possibility of life before death.
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43
Action proposals:
1. Recognize that the current definition of the labour force and its conventional three-sector analysis is now inadequate to describe how people are actually
occupied, and measure the economic and ~ocial sig-1
nificance of work performed in the home.
2. Re-define work as 'any form of activity or time use
that is or may be benefic~al to society and/or to the person performing it'. Income should be redefined to include 'acknowledgement of the right to receive economic support' in addition to 'reward for work done'.
3. Add the value of domestic and 'Do it yourself'
work to the national accounts in calculating the value of production.
4. Recognize the equivalent of a 35-year working lifetime as the norm, guarantee maximum superannuation benefits at that point, and phase it in pari passu to coincide with changed labour demand.
5. Abolish all mandatory retirement ages. Personal options for early or late retirement should be maximized - workers should not feel under economic pressure to stay on if they would prefer to retire or to retire if they wish to
stay on.
6. Bearing in mind points 1-3, collect and evaluate statistical data for measurement of the social impact of economic changes, e.g. the significance of technological change in employment, the regional or class effects of difference
in-educational absorption, the extent of regional and class variations in consumption patters .
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44
7. Consider new methods of calculating and determining income. The concept of the 'social wage' should be examined: this involves deducting the actual costs of transport to and from work, and of access to education and
health, from the award wage.
8. Introduce a guar;nteed-income scheme along the broad lines recommended by the Australian Poverty Commission.
9. Abolish all work tests, which punish the unemployed if they fail to take up inappropriate or remote work by denying them unemployment r.elief.
10. Introduce a national superannuation scheme similar ~o the Swedish model, with universal cover for those in work and with full portability. (The Swedish system is largely financed by employee and employer contributions - the
resulting fund is then invested in industry, generating a large income for beneficiaries.)
11. Establish a National Labour Force Planning Commission to work with trade unions, employers, states, schools and tertiary educational institutions, local government and Commonwealth authorities to collect and analyse data about
changing employment patterns and expectations, assist clients to evolve plans for meeting anticipated social and economic needs at local, state and national levels.
12. Evolve national labour-force policies to maximize the range of personal options for employment and assist transitions without trauma.
13. Provide for sabbatical leave for workers on the same basis as enjoyed by some professionals. This would be a major generator of income in tourism, leisure, education and training (many people already seek time off to drop back
into education) .
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45
14. Notwithstanding union concerns to maintain the number of jobs available, encourage unions and management to establish options such as a shorter working week, a shorter working year, or a shorter working lifetime.
15. Within the context of the previously expressed concern for the affects of New Technology, bring about industrial democracy so that workers are involved in decision making and creative work. The Lucas Aerospace Combine Shop
Stewards' Corporate Pl~n illustrates the productive potential (and social benfits) which could result from encouraging process workers to develop their own skills and knowledge. .· .........
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46
Redefining the concept of Leisure
Inherent in the thrust of this report is the idea that people
should be encouraged to recoqnise the personal value of time in their own lives, to sort out individual priorities, and then be able to have the freedoms to act out their choices.
For the present the fr~edorn to act on individual choices is limited to a relative few. Most strive to earn an income through their labour (broadly defined) in order at some time or other to have more leisure. In the future, because of the application of socially constructive knowledge, with its resulting social
structures, freedoms may exist for those who presently do not have them.
Should such a circumstance arise without any loss in the democratic right to participate in society, so as to influence its directions, then many people will live in quite a different way. In this circumstance the present dichotomy between work
and leisure will disappear.
In our present society voluntary leisure is sought and enjoyed, because it implies economic self-sufficieny and the power to make choices. Michael Young and Peter Willmott in The Symmetrical Society see 'work' and 'leisure' as being inextricably intertwined,
each losing significance in the absence of the other. It is work, they say, that makes leisure meaningful, and vice versa. The need to work is analogous to the need to have a horne, an
essential element ih ~elf-definition: like the unemployed, homeless people may have a disabling loss of identity.
This present dichotomy between work and leisure is not without its significance, inherently false as it may be. Studies into what is _leisure have become more important as the prospect for changed ways of living become more immediate. There are
links between work and leisure for the individual affecting choice in the two respective areas.
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47
For example Boris Kabanoff in an article entitled Work and
Non Work: A review of Models, Methods and Findings; has
tried to simplify this complex interaction by nominating four distinct work/leisure patterns as follows:
1. passive generalization - in broad terms people with less interesting jobs respond in a similar way in their leisure activities which show little evidence of self-development, self-expression or interest in larger social purpose.
2. supplemented compensation - where the non-work interests of people are most significant in peoples lives.
3. active generalization - where the need for self-actualization is perhaps not fully met at work and thus the energy and drive of such individuals isextended into their non-work activities.
4. reactive compensation - where the interest is primarily on the-economic returns to be g~ined from the job, for which purposes other activities are substantially subsumed.
This investigator recognises such a breakdown might need further, even significant, refinement when greater understanding of the complexities of individual responses to this fundamental aspect of their lives becomes available.
The fact is that for the moment individual choice is not
available to most and 'impressionistic studies of people in work carried out by Studs Terkel (Working, 1975), Philip Toynbee (A Working Life, 1971), and Robert Fraser et al, (Work,l968) suggest that many are kept on the treadmill
merely by fear of losing their livelihood.
The very circumstance of the interrelationship between leisure
and work does however provide a starting point for action. If new modes of behaviour at the work place are opened up then
it seems plausible new horizons on the leisure scene become --:-:.-:- ~-;·_ ::: -:· ---:-·-:.:--.. ~ ....... '7'' -.-- ..
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ll8
visible. Consequently, an important step in providing opportunities for the reaching of these new goals is to introduce into the work place real industrial democracy. Opportunities for active participation in corporate decisions at all levels will have the
effect of giving individuals a new perception of their lives with consequesces for other areas of activities . . . .
As we know only too well a significant number of people are not
in a 'work' place even though, as has been said earlier, they
may be working. Recognition of these activities as being
significant in our society will also have consequences for the range of activities people do or would like to undertake and which might be considered for the moment as leisure.
For the many people still left out of the categories so far defined, the officially unemployed, then more active but no less significant, programs are necessary. From the evidence of those who are unemployed, or who work closely with those who
are, support programs which utilise skills apparently seen as redundent, in new ways or different settings, or educating the ·others in self-helping ways, are very constructive activities. In these programs the fundamental question being raised is the
role of the individual in society. Identification by the tag of 'working' or 'non-working' must be eliminated.
It is patently obvious that there is an important role for Government in these areas. This role has been alluded to frequently in other sections of the report. In this section it ~s clear the role can be important without suffering the
frequently value-laden and ill-directed concern of financial outlays. Moral support for the concerns of people to be identified through a much broader range of activities than the previously defined 'work' - 'non-work' tag is important. . . ---···
Facilitating access to information and already available knowledge and resources is critical. Injecting into presently running activities broader views will help considerably. ···-.···
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49
When in Government in 1972/75, by establishing a Ministry
under whose jurisdiction it was to facilitate a community awareness of this basic concern, the ALP has demonstrated a sensitivity to the changes in society and provided practical
assistance in another facet of the leisure area. This other area is in the physical health side of leisure.
Of course the big danger in this area is to see leisure
in simplistic terms as recreation. Important as physical health is, concentration upon _its promotion belies the problem people have in their daily lives trying to earn a living and the complexities of the nature of a human being.
Under the present Government we have seen this danger manifest itself in the failed "Life. Be in it" program. "Life'' here is equated to a physical jogging, care-free existence. No where is there the concern that such
activities are only an aspect of life (not available to all as it happens) and it has within it the seeds of the
ideology that peoples leisure activities are not to do with the running of society.
There may well be a
service employment, unions in the 1980s.
large scale revival of unskilled or 'servile' with a consequent weakening of the trades During the decade 1970-80, US Census returns indicate that there was very large employment growth in three areas - the eating and drinking industry, health care
(broadly defined, but including child minding, care of the aged, provision of home help) and routine business services (including waste disposal, building maintenance, messenger delivery). These jobs are largely unskilled, part-time, held by females, non
unionised, with low wages and few prospects for advancement. They .::tre also potentiz1lly insecure. 'l'lle U~) mod0l rnuy well be adopted in Australia.
50
Action Proposals:
1. Promote further investigation into the dichotomy between work and leisure and facilitate the dissemination of this material.
2. Support, through moral and financial encouragement, proposals
3 .
.. -
which have been carefully prepared and worked out, and which are directed to broadening the ways by which a persons social identity is achieved. (Alternative lifestyles need not be in the country only).
Noting the link between 'work' and 'leisure' promote industrial ... ~- ... democracy .. __ in such a way that leisure options also are widened
as the significance of the decision-making capacity of the · individual in this new work role is made tangible.
4. Stimulate activities in areas formally recognised now as the arts and crafts.
5. Continue the previous ALP Governments commitment to upgrade, and make more accessible, sporting facilities.
6. Promote investigation within the various bodies of the Education systems in Australia responsible for curriculum development, ways by which the work-leisure dichotomy can be studied by students;
·, .
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51
The role of education
In The Computerised Society, James Martin and Adrian Norman argued that: in general there will be a vast increase in de~and for personnel of high IQ, logical ability and
technical- aptitudei as well there will be a shortage of the routine jobs in which the majority of mankind has been employed so far â¢.. A.large proportion of the community today spends its
long hours in routine. Take away from the clerk or the factory hand his routine work and he will be all at sea. To survive in a world
_ ..... - ···-·- ·-·- ·- -·-'··------
without routine he will have to be creative, innovative, imaginative and adaptable; he must welcome innovation rather than ·shun it. ·
Where are the schools that teach these sk~lls? They do exist, but few of them are in the r\.ibli~ sector and even fewer are found in the areas where low-income earners live and work. The elimination of routine work which could be carried out by inexperienced people is already well advanced, and since 1977
the unemployment rate of young Australians in the 15-19 age group has varied between 16 and 22 per cent of the civilian labour force in that age group.
Australia shared in the educational revolution which followed World War II - universal secondary schooling and increased participation (largely by the middle class) in tertiary institutiqns. This trend, which continued in the United States,
Canada, Japan, the USSR and much of Western Europe (although Britian was an exception) seemed to have run its course in Australia after 1975. At a time of increasing complexity . and competitiveness in the world community, Australian
education marked timP. - but as the advanced world was pushing
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52
ahead, this in fact meant a serious decline. In the 1980 OECD
economic survey Australia, international comparisons were provided for many economic and social indicators. In the table of full-time school enrolments of young people aged 15-19, Australia ranked fourteenth of twenty-three nations
listed ( 1977) .
The Australian figures conceal the truth: in working class
areas, the number of 15 - 19 year olds in full-time education is about 15 per cent, in midd~e class areas about 75 per cent.
The figure of 45 per cent is indeed the average, but it distorts
educational participation rates in specific areas. Inter-nationally, Australia is ceasing to be intellectually competitive; internally, we are losing the essential pre conditions for personal competence, social cohesion, employment
prospects and the free flow of comprehensible information which makes democracy workable.
In the 1970s there was a strong trend towards higher female participation rates in the last years of secondary school and in full-time tertiary education. By 1977 roughly the same proportion of males and females were completing Year 12, and
more female than male school leavers were going on to universities
and CAEs. *
Australia has a split-level educa.tion system which p<:;rpetuates existing social, ethnic, class, ·gender and regional divisions instead of eliminating t~em, which was the liberal hope for universal education. The first division produces the officers
and NCOs of Australia's social army, and is:
1. predominantly urban middle-class;
2. achievement-orientated, with a high self-image;
* See Austruliun Students ond their Schools. Schools Commission 1979, chapters 3 unrT4.
53
3. aimed at producing qualifications for a career, presuming success, affluence, readily marketable skills, professional satisfaction, and personal autonomy in determining work patterns;
4. marked by a high participation rate in tertiary education.
The second division provides an educational minimum for the
'other ranks' and rejects from the system, and is: l. predominantly working-class, female, ethnic, rural or regional;
2. failure-oriented, with a low self-image;
3. aimed at producing competitors for a declining number of relatively semi-skilled or unskilled jobs, often poorly paid and with a low degree of work satisfaction and little personal autonomy;
4. marked by a low participation rate in tertiary education.
Australia faces alarming increases in unemployment, and a widening social and economic division between the 'information rich' and the 'information-poor'. It is essential to adopt a democratic, pluralist and egalitarian education system to give
those previously defined educationally deprived children the same range of educational options and quality of instructions -including access to tertiary education and the securing of professional qualifications - as are enjoyed at present by the urban middle and professional classes.
More equitable access to education will not necessarily end
the inequalities in society as it now stands or appears to be heading or lead to universal improvement in job status: it would deceive the poor to promise everyone better jobs as a result of more education unless this goes hand in hand with a
different society discu~:;sed ee1rlier in this report. We must however, assert that education is a good thing in itself -a human right and a consumer good ~ and that it is better to be
educated and unemployed than uneducated and unemployed. In
54
addition, education creates convivial sector employment for teachers and reduces pressure on existing jobs by regarding students as 'workers'.
Higher levels of education also create a wider range of needs to be met as a consequence of heightened perceptions, amongst which are travel, the arts, craftwork, books and hobbies -all of which are labour-intensive.
Australian participation rates in education are m~rked by enormous \vastage among children of migrant families, or those living in the country, and especially the number of girls in the 'second' division. The educational and occupational features of most Australian children can still be predicted with a high
degree of accuracy by ~sking only three questions: Where do you live? What school do you go to? What doyour parents do?
In the 19th Century Australia was a world leader in education. This can no longer be said.
Low Letention rates in education are a fundamentrtl reason for
Australia's very high youth unemploymert t. rates. There is an unrecognised paradox however: Australia has simultaneously one of the highest youth unemployment rates in the world and one of the highest youth employment. The Williams Report on Education,
Training and Employment (1979) found that 'while 60 per cent of our 15-19 age group arc in the labour force, comparable £igures are 24 per cent in Japan and 28 per cent in the United States of
America'. The European countries that arc streaking past Australia in quality of life all have higher participation rates in education in all classes and regions. It is clear that commit ment to higher levels of education is a most important factor
in development along socially desirable lines.
Action Proposals:
1. Provide working-class children with the same opportunities and incentives to undertake tertiary and further education as are taken for granted in the upper and middle calsses.
55
2. Increase public expenditure on education in disadvantaged areas to the extent needed to offset current social and regional inequalities and, where necessary, establish an alternative career structure for teachers.
3. Establish the automatic entitlements of every citizen to twelve years of publicly funded education, as recommended by the Australian Poverty Commission.
4. Facilitatet~achers working in disadvantaged schools, where the retention rates after Year 10 are low.
5. Establish a system for two to three years of general
education (as in the US college system) before tertiary students proceed to specialist degrees.
6. Create an 'Open University' along the lines of the. British prototype, in which people of all ages can study for degrees at home, in their own time, using television and other modern techniques.
7. Encourage the concept of recurrent or lifelong education, so that people are able to 'drop in' or 'drop out' of education
at any stage in life.
8. Emphasize education as a means of achieving self-knowledge, personal development, the strengthening of sel£-image and creativity an('! effectnal timn nse (including leisnrP st-.uoi"s\ and place less emphasis on education for vocational or
specialist purposes which can be picked up relatively quickly. 9. Ensure that professional training provides some direct. experience of future (and related) work situations, and exposure to contrasting value systems, in order to counteract the 'tunnel
vision' of much tertiary education.
56
The Role of Social Welfare
The underlying principle accepted by the Task Force concerning
social welfare is that Government powers should be used as redistributive mechanisms to ensure social justice. What is rejected is the idea of social welfare as the minimalist activity of providing a large-mesh safety net for the 'deserving
disaclvan tagcd' who cannot Cind a 1 tcâ¢rnu ti vc u~'>sis t;:_m cc; such an attitude being the one held by the present government.
Earlier, we have stated that people in society tr)day are socially identified because they earn an income through their work. But there are people whose access to paid work is limited or inappropriate and so will require payments
to replace what they cannot earn. These mechanisms must neither penalise those who want to support themselves nor those who cannot.
The Myers Report Technological Change in Australia (1980)
recommended both the adoption of rapid technological change and a 'social safety net', for displaced workers (e.g. pro rate severance pay and job· retraining schemes). The Fraser Government accepted the first recommendation und rejected the second,
asserting that market forces alone would create sufficient demand for extra employment. Clearly a 'social safety net' will have to be provided by a Labor Government in a form
negotiated with the unions.
The well recognised exceptions to the rule/that income is distributed by way of payment for labour include -child endowment, family and disability allowances, unemploy ment benefits, students allowances, aged and widows
pensions as well as superannuation schemes and service pensions directly related to former employment or service.
The mechanisms for redistributing income could be through
cash payments and thcâ¢n'cltLer.· relyinq on 'markc~L' forces to provide what these cash payments will buy. Or they could be, as the Tusk Force believes to be uppropriate, through the
57
Public sector providing both a range of community services available to all who choose to use them, and provided as a right, and a guaranteed minimum income.
By implementing such a mix, effectively the exceptions
noted above will be extended. In this way the people ident ified in the several reports on poverty in Australia can be protected and continue to participate in society as must be their right.· Just as importantly, those who suffc;r
the immediate effects of w1employmen t as a result of the introduction of New Teclmolo
It is important to note that with respect to the provision of such a support system there is no implied statement that this is where people should finish up. It is not implied for the
reasons that such support schemes are provided as a right and in conjunction with other mechanisms which will allow for personal development (a constant theme running through this report) .
The 'poverty line' determined by the Poverty Commission ln
1973 varied according to the number of persons in the appropriate 'income unit' (generally families). For a single person, the poverty line was 30.1 per cent. For a family
of two adults and seven children, the line was austerely set at 95.9 per cent of average weekly earnings if the head of the unit was working, and 90.3 per cent if not.
The commission recommended the introduction of a 'guaranteed income scheme' (also described as 'guaranteed minimum income', or GMI) to provide support for those below the poverty line -and up to 20 per cent above. This was considered preferable
to piecemeal adjustments of existing support schemes.
Guaranteed income would have been paid to all citizens -paupers and millionaires alike - as with the existing child endowment scheme, financed by a proportional tu.x on all private incomes; the unemployed would not hu.ve been subject to a
'work test'. In effect, it would have been a form of
'negative income tu.x'.
58 -..------------·-·--·-~···· --·- --- ----
The Henderson Report was published in April 1975, the Whitlam government was removed in November 1975, and nothing whatever has been done to implement 'guaranteed minimum income'. Meanwhile, unemployment has tripled on CES figures (and
increased sixfold if concealed unemployment and under employment are considered.
The Australian Labor Party has adopted the principle of guaranteed
minimum income, but without specifying the exact form - or cost -of future implementation.
The Whitlam government also set up a committee of inquiry
into a national superannuation scheme, chaired by Professor K.J. Hancock of Flinders University. In 1976 the committee recommended, by majority, that a universal contributory scheme be established. This proposal aroused fier:ce. resistance from
the insurance industry, which saw such a scheme as a threat to their jobs, and the Fraser government rejected the Hancock Report ( 19 79) .
The Australian Council for Trade Unions (ACTU) has adopted a
national superannuation scheme as policy, and the powerful Storemen and Packers' Union has promoted the idea of a scheme along Swedish lines. These schemes have aroused strong opposition within industry, because a large superannuation
fund which invested in business corporations could exert a strong influence on corporate policy-making.
Action Proposals:
See proposals 9, 10 and 11 under the heading 'Redefining the concept of work'.
Guaranteeing the Right to Fre~dom of Information
Feedom of Information legislation, passed by the Senate in 1980 but not yet adopted by the House of Representatives, provides limited means of access to files held by governments. It needs further drastic amendment along the lines of the US legislation
and with additional safeguards proposed by the Senate Constitu tional and Legal Committee.
However, this legislation deals only with information access in a sovernment context. It does not deal with access to
information in the non-aovernment !":Pr+rn· f',-...,- """"''"'""',,..,. ..... "-~
59
right of consumers to have the same access to information as manufacturers, trades unions as employers, media users as media proprietors.
It does nbt deal with the political and social effects of Australia having the·heaviest concentration of media ownersh~p of any Western nation.
Nor does it recognise the importance of information itself
as a factor of production,* as an employment area, or its social impact in determining ~hether people are able to exercise effective control over their own lives or whether somebody will control them. The expansion of automatised
information services makes the risks of losing personal autonomy increasingly serious.
This emphasises the need for a 'National Information Policy', which would be complementary to a revised and expanded Freedom of Information Act.
In addition Australia needs its own information utility and data bases. It would be extraordinarily difficult technically to impose controls on information systems and the most positive approach would be to ensure that access to information is
opened up as widely as possible, similar to access' to water supply, electricity and the telephone systems and not controlled by monopolists for private profit.
The New Zealand Commission for the Future is a useful model for an organisation which generated public debate on issues relating to technology and 'information and its recent publication 'Network New Zealand: Communications in the Future' is an. excellent illustration of what can be done to
raise the level of public debate.
While emphasising the need of citizens to gain access to vital information held by governments and the corporate sector, it is also essential to pass legislation to ensure the protection of individual privacy against intrusion by the State or business.
The sale of computerised and detailed personal files, such as
individual health records, is a common and deplorable fact of ~siness life. Modern technologies enable the monitoring not just
60
of telephone conversations but of discussions in cars, boats and the open country. Access to information is a two-edged sword which must be handled carefully.
Individual Privacy and Access to Information Numerous problems for the individual arise with the development of centralised and inter-connecting data-banks.
These problems include the sharing of personal information by both private companies an~ government agencies with the increased potential for discriminatory use of this information; the difficulty for tpe individual of locating sources of
personal data; accuracy; misuse; and data security. Legislation is required to protect individual privacy and prevent the misuse of data.
This legislation should govern:
i) methods of collecting personal data
ii) the amount of information which can be held
iii) the type of information
and this should ensure: a) that personal information is accurate, complete and
up-to-date
b) that the purpose for.which the data is collected is
specified at the time of collection c) limitations exist on the disclosure of personal data
d) security safeguards are on data banks
e) there is accountability in law for complying with
privacy protection principles f) individual access to personal data collected about him/herself g) there ·are appe~l rights regarding information and
access to it
h) regular computer auditing happens
* This legislation should include coverage of personal files kept on ·emplyees by employers.
. . .I
61
Action Proposals:
National Information Policy
A National Information Policy shall provide that:
1. All Australians are entitled to free access to information and library services of acceptable standard relative to the affluence of the State, regardless of where they live, of their social and economic position, of their language, their age, their mobility,
or physical disabilities.
2. The effective working of democracy depends on the availability of adequate information and the capacity for its independent evaluation. The right to know, to be informed, is basic to every person. Access to information and the right to its availability
should be vigorously pursued. In our society, access to information is a vital resource of government and of the public, and like other resources it should not be concentrated in the hands of the rich.
3. The Australian community is divided:·between the 11 information rich", and the "information poor".· Women, migrants, the aged, the young, the poor and the handicapped are victims of inadequacies in the information delivery system. !~formation
facilities are remote from those who need them most. They do not know what is available and do not know how to remedy
their lack of information.
4. Theenormous inequity in "information transfer" means that the position of the individual compared to governments and oo~rations may deteriorate rapidly. The increasing volume
of available information may lead to:
i) increasing tendency towards specialisation and the fragmentation of knowledge
ii) a growing sense of "alienation" or "anomie" from many people who feel unable to understand what is going on around them, and " '
62
iii) a risk that power will move towards the technocrats and away from elected institutions such as Parliaments.
5. Information problems should not continue to be treated in the narrow perspective of science and technology, and left to scientists and experts alone, but should be envisaged in the . broader context of knowledge and social welfare in which
information is regarded as a fundamental resource.
6. Governments must not allow automated systems and networks to develop in a chaotic fashion for strictly commercial motives. They must understand and plan for the new technologies which
will come into general use everywhere in the next ten years.
7. As recommended in the Coombs Report on Government Administration, a Commonwealth Information Advisory Council should be set up to
define and codify:
i) the right of access of individuals or public or
private bodies to this information resource and the inherent limits to this right~
ii) the political and social guarantees which individuals and institutions can legitimately expect, including protection .. of privacy and professional secrecy; iii) the basic rules of reciprocity which should govern relationships between public and private systems and
networks;
iv) a code of ethics for professions and industries concerned in this field.
8. The provision of public library and information services should remain the collective responsibility of the Commonwealth, State and local levels of Government, funded in part by each of these .
.. .
63
9. Public libraries must become information resource centres including local data banks, information about access to government services, with greater emphasis on non-book material such as gramophone records, tapes, cassettes, microforms and
audio-visual material generally .
. 10. The expansion and extension of all library and information services should be achieved through co-operation and/or contract and the formation of library systems and networks with each service retaining its autonomy within the overall
State plan for the development of these services. Already existing information services should be co-ordinated and integrated to avoid duplication and waste of resources.
11. Establish an Australian Information Utility as a statutory corporation. A majority of the corporation would be appointed by the government of the day, with minority representations from business interest (who would· presumably be the major
users) and community groups ... trade unions, political parties, .. . consumer organiszations. The Government members would include representatives of Telecom, CSIRO, the ABC, the major libraries, and at least oneOpposition member of
parliament. This utility would own cow~unication satellites.
, .
64
Ensuring that the benefits of new technology are equitably shared Legislating for Technology Control
There is a growing desire in the Australian trade union movement for some form of technological monitoring which will retard or prevent the introduction of labour displacing technology. This poses problems which make the control
of drugs, tax evasion and organised crime seem ridiculously simple in comparison. The need for such legislation is apparent except to those who believe like the Australian Treasury, that the adoption of technology should be left
to market forces alone.
One useful model which could be adopted in Australia is the
Swedish Joint Regulation in Workin%LifeAct (1977). As the UK Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs
noted in their paper "Technological Change and Cbllective Bargaining" (1979).
This Act gives to both tr~de.unions and employers a general right to negotiate. Moreover, it imposes on employers a primary duty of negotiation. An employer must negotiate with the trade unions on his own initiative
before deciding on important changes at the workplace. The employer must also negotiate on any other matter if requested to by a trade union with which he has a
collective agreement.
To ensure the effectiveness of this, the Act also makes
it the duty of the employer to keep the trade union
representative informed of the financial and production aspects of the business, and the principles on which his personal policy is based. The trade unions are also entitled to examine accounts and other documents to
the extent necessary in order to safeguard their members' interests in relation to the employer.
~ '
65
In addition to this, the trade unions have the prior to interpret the joint agreements with the employer. right The Swedish legislation therefore enshrines three important principles for trade unions: the right to negotiate on any matter which concerns them; the right to information; and
the right to demand that the status quo be applied until . agreement is reached. The Swedes view this legislation as part of their industrial democracy program. The proposals for introducing similar legislation in the UK are ·in line with the White Paper
on Industrial Democracy (Cmnd 7231), which proposes that employers in large companies will be obliged by law to discuss with the representatives of employees all major proposals affecting the employees of the company before
any decisions are made. These discussions would encompass such matters as investment plans, mergers, take-overs, expansion or co'ntraction of establishments and major organisational changes. 'Quite clearly, technological
change could be covered by a number of these categories. As a prelude to any ~egislative changes, we would expect
trade unions to press for the extension of their voluntary collective bargaining arrangement to cover the impact of technological change.
The Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions (LO) and the Norwegian Employers Confederation (NAF) have concluded a voluntary general agreement on the development, introduction and use of computer-based systems. The agreement states
that it is important that such systems are evaluated from social as well as technical and economic standpoints. To achieve this, the agreement provides for local trade
union representatives to be informed about all matters covered by the agreement early enough for them to express their opinions before any changes occur. Furthermore, both trade union representatives and the employees affected
have to be involved in the development and introduction
~ .
â¢
66
of computer-based systems so that they can exert their influence on them. The trade union representatives have a right to all documentation and programs and machine
equipment covered by the agreement. Furthermore, the agreement makes provision for training for union representation in general data processing techniques.
The problem facing Australia in this area may be greater than in many other countries because of our position as a junior partner in the English-speaking world. For a variety of historic, national, political and cultural reasons Swedish
and Norwegian industry are unlikely to leave Sweden and Norway even if they feel constricted by regulatory legislation. But Australian industry and services may be far more portable if management opposes technology controls - it may be
easier and cheaper to withdraw completely than to conform. It would be inequitable if proposed technology controls were harder on existing industri~s than future ones, on Australian owned rather than internationally owned, on small
ones rather than big ones. It is easy to regulate mining
which must be carried out in a particular location - but the extreme portability· and intangibility of much service based industry would make legislative controls as futile as ploughing the sea.
Action Proposals:
l. See page 11, 'Immediate Action Proposals', point No. 11, lla 2. Publicize all. Trade Union agreements such as that signed between the AMWSU and Hawker De Havilland wherin such concerns as expressed above have been tackled.
3. The Task ·Force believes that an ALP Government has a very important role in being an exemplary employer especially with respect to the introduction of New Technology. An important action for an ALP Government is to provide early in its period of office an atmosphere conducive to an exchange of views,
analysis and positive discussion with public service union not only in respect of general work conditions but particularly· with respcet to the planned use of new technologies. Included in these discussions must be occupational health concerns deriving from proposed changes.
67
Other Related Matters
The Australian community and the ALP will have to face up to
the economic implications of technological change in areas where we have been traditionally resistant to change. For example, it seems very unlikely that maintenance of tariff protection and quotas will, by themselves, preserve or
strengthen the motor manufacturing industry.
Internationally this industry is being altered dramatically by changing patterns of dem~nd (for example the move towards low energy and/or high quality vehicles, and the long term trend towards reducing total household expenditure on cars), by the
transfer of capital away from high labour cost countries towards low cost ones, and by the impact of robotics. The trend towards robotics is especially strong in some Third World countries.
It would be reckless to assume that by retaining existing protection levels and maintaining quotas that the future of motor manufacturing in Australia in its present form was assured The Taskforce is not in any way advocating any particular
structural adjustment to our car industry. We are merely providing a sober assessment of what seems very likely to happen in the next decade. These technological changes are likely to be adopted at a rate far faster than the Party's, or the
community's capacity to make effective social responses. Obviously, the motor industry in Australia cannot expect to remain unscathed in a period of rapid change. But a future Labor Government may be forced to choose between two repulsive
and unpopular alternatives, for example, whether to sanction large-scale robotisation in the motor and other industries or not. The dilemma is this: .
i) if the Australian industry is robotised this will lead
to rapid restructuri~g, massive unemployment and enormous discontent, but it may enable a restructured industry to survive for decades more. But in time even a robotised industry may disappear.
68
ii) if the Australian industry is nOt robotised and remains essentially as it was, say, in 1960 it will retain high
leveLs of employment for a time but may then crash, leaving no industry behind at all.
In this area the motor industry in Australia may be damned if it does robotise and damned if it does not. And this example could be repeated in almo?t all of
Australia's heavy industry.
69
Broad Social Objectives to be Pursued by the ALP
The Task Force felt that a borad statement is possible about the principles and aims to be promoted and these are listed. as follows :
1. The concept of social justice is supported, and this includes right of access to goods and services necessary for dignity and autonomy.
2. Cost/benefit assessments of the impact of new technology will involve social accounting (including environmental) techniques which measure the total costs and benefits to society rather than economic accounting techniques which consider only the financial aspects of such changes.
3. Guarantee fundamental human freedoms in society. Numerous problems for the individual arise with the development of centralised and inter-connecting data banks.
These problems include the sharing of personal information by both private companies and government agencies with the increased potential for discriminatory use of.this information, the difficulty for the individual of locating sources of
personal datal, accuracy, misuse and data security.
4. Although the perception of what is work differs amongst all members of society, ensure it is their right to participate in such activities, so that through this process all are able to support themselves in an honourable way and to a satisfactor~
level.
5. In the international arena Australia's role will be to promote the freedoms and rights of all peoples in the manner they desire through their own free.decisions.
...
70
The Development of Society through application of Technology
based on current ideology
With trends in developments unchanged from the directions in which they now appear to be heading, a number of situations would seem . to be quite possible. By extrapolating these trends we arrive at the type of society which isn't very satisfactory yet which still might occur. We list some of the characteristics of this ·society
which the Task Force believes are inherent in the policiE.s of the present government.
1. Restructuring of the Australian economy through continued displacement of labour intensive industries with capital· intensive and 'high' technology industries.
2. Loss of national autonomy through becoming dependent upon imported technology. The process of importing 'knowledge' can (and does) create the loss of basic skills. Through
this process there is a reduced capacity for the nation to select its own options concerning its future development.
3. Decay of the present forms of democracy in Australia. Through reduced capacity for choosing options, the democratic instit utions in Australia become less relevant.
4. Loss of basic feedoms. Since democratic institutions were established for the articulation and support of basic freedoms, .any reductions in their effectiveness leads tothe rights of individuals being diminished. This could include such
fundementals as a diminuition of privacy through cross-use of data banks by both Government and private industry.
5. Increased Authoritarianism. Loss of basic rights, by definition, - leads to greater authoritarianism. In practice this will work through the continuation of rigidly hierarchical models of management where decisions taken affecting those in the _,.... organisations concerned (or community generally) will have
;:0:..~~ · .. little input from the employees (or community members) ⢠· ··-: -·~
:...::~, · .... :,.,_ ... :;-._"·::::-· .. '..;. ·-~:--.- .. -":':~ .~: -~
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71
6. Decreased access to information. Hierarchical models of organisation are based on reducing tasks to their smallest sub-groups. Consequently there will be not only a reduction in knowing what others do, but the implication that access
to information of a broad ranging nature isn't immediately relevant and therefore there is no need for it.
7. Changes in the work environment. If the nature of industry will change in the future as indicated above, then on the plant or office floor there will be significant effe~ts on the jobs available. In particular this could lead to fewer full-time
jobs and further deskilling of tasks.
Moreover it is vital to recognise that the new technologies presently being introduced have brought with them the potential for a changed work style and associated occupational health problems. These problems, both physical and psychological,
would become much more widespread.
8. Reduced job opportunities. As has been stated earlier it has yet to be proven that by their very nature the new technologies do not lead to fewer jo~s. Especially is this a problem
in the shorter term for those more vulnerable groups such as women and migrants. However the present problems for youth
and older workers will be further exaserbated if present directions continue.
9. Reduced job opportunities will lead to an increasing gap between those of the elite with a job and the others. This
will have immediate effects in terms of income and wages differentials.
10. Reduced job.opportunities and reduced skill requirements mean significant chan~es ~n social interactions and a down grading of 'those;infor~al.but 6ritical education systems of society. · ·
11. Distribution systems of information and material goods will change. Given their present directions these changes will _ reduce access to information (see 6 above) and the range
,~··.t:::·='_;_. of choice available... It will also aff.ect consuwer behaviour.
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( I I
Cass, Bettina
Gilmour, J.M.
Jones, Barry
Kabanoff, Boris
Wilkes, John (ed)
72
READING GUIDE
â¢unemployment and the Family' Social Welfare Research Centre Reports and Procoedings Nn. 7 April 1981.
'The industrial policy debate in a resource hinterland'. Paper delivered at Australian Academy of Technological Sciences symposium, Canberra October 1981.
Sleepers, Wake! : Technology and the Future of Work Oxford University Press, 1982.
â¢science, Technology and Australian Resource Development- Some Problems for the 1980s.⢠Discussion 'paper, Canberra 1981.
â¢work and Non Work: a Review of Models, Methods and Findings'
The Future of Work George Allen & Unwin, Australii:J 19£31.
