The introduction of the General Retail Industry Award 2010 has impacted on both businesses and its employees

and has caused a debate over issues of the decision. These issues include the decisions influence on both students and individuals who rely on casual work and also the risk which affects both the income and job security of many Australians. 1. What are the main arguments or viewpoints of the various stakeholders and how do their perspectives differ and/or converge? The main arguments/viewpoints held by the stakeholders vary according to the type of demands made by the award. Many of the stakeholders consider the award to be unethical as it prevents school children and casual workers from being able to work the minimum two hours due to the new awards maximising the hours from two to three. This prevents children and casual workers from being able to participate in the labour world due to the restrictions made on their employment and their personal reasons preventing them from working more than two hours. This award, as stated by the NRA Media Statement and Needham, will cause businesses to sack a number of employees due their incapability to pay their workers for more than two hours of labour. As a result, many employees will face job security issues and possibilities of unemployment. Stakeholders argue that many people rely on their jobs as a form of income to support themselves. Students require their job to develop skills that will later be required in life. The new award will restrict their learning abilities and the experiences they can derive due to the three hour-minimum work award. Hannan stated that the new award system would be prevent employees from being shielded from unfair dismissal in workplaces and would also force employers to sack or refuse youths to work if unavailable to pay them for three hours. Other stakeholders, such as Perpitch, both disagree and agree to the new award. They believe that the three-hour award system is a logical idea to enforce; however, it will affect many Australians who rely on small jobs with minimum hours as a way to make money along with completing their education. While protecting the wages of employees, it would have a negative impact on the employment of many workers who relied on casual two-hour work. Many of the arguments support similar reasons, for example, the ACTU, Needham, and the NRA Media Statement both emphasise the decisions impact on young workers and the consequences of the new award proposed. 2. Suggest some factors that might influence the perspectives of the various stakeholders. Factors which might influence the perspectives of the various stakeholders include the employment reduction or loss of jobs due to the new increase in the minimum-working hour award. The loss of jobs would have a negative impact on the economy as well as causing problems for families who rely on their part-time casual work jobs. Stakeholders, who include the employees, might find it difficult to find new jobs to support them when having to take care of families or education along with working as well. Another factor which might influence the perspective is small businesses, such as grocery stores, which rely heavily on school children to work minimum hours after school. This can change the perspective of its stakeholders who realise that small businesses will suffer all over Australia if the new award prevents them from hiring people to work for just two hours. Most small businesses might not be able to afford paying employees for a full three hours and will have to cut back on employees due to this predicament.

3. What is your view on this issue? Explain your position. I believe that this award is unnecessary for a number of reasons. It prevents school children from gaining the experience they might require in the future and prevents them from being able to learn how to balance both their education and their independence. By reducing the minimum work hours to three, many school children will be forced to leave their jobs and risk losing the income they independently gain. Similarly small businesses will suffer due to being unable to pay three hour wages to their employees and having to sack many employees due the their incapability to pay them for three hours. Likewise, this will cause a negative impact on the employment rate in Australia, particularly affecting those that wish to work the standard two hours in the afternoon while also managing other tasks required, for example, education. Therefore, through the study of these texts, the resulting conclusion is that the new General Retail Industry Award 2010 is an ineffective method as it restricts the working limitation of many casual workers and prevents them from being able to work alongside others in the retail industry due to the demands of the award. As a result, it will lead to unemployment and issues of job security for many Australians, while also preventing young individuals from being able to be self-sufficient or independent leading them to criminal instincts as a mean to support themselves.

References Australian Council of Trade Unions, (9 July, 2010), Minimum hours decision confirms award safety net; now Abbott and the Liberals must do the same, viewed 13 August 2010. Available: http://www.actu.org.au/Media/Mediareleases/Minimumhoursdecisionconfirmsawardsafetynet nowAbbottandtheLiberalsmustdothesame.aspx Last accessed 13 August 2010. Fair Work Australia. (9 July 2010). Decision. Available: http://www.fwa.gov.au/documents/awardmod/decs/2010fwa5068.htm. Last accessed 14 August 2010. Hannan, E. (18 February 2010), Leader backs shorter shift, viewed 13 August 2010. Available: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/scrap-minimum-shift-provisions-says-abbott/storye6frgczf-1225831554534. Last accessed 13 August 2010. National Retail Association, (9 July, 2010), Young employees the victims of Fair Work minimum hours decision, viewed 13 August 2010.Available: http://www.nra.net.au/images/MediaStatement9July.pdf Last accessed 13 August 2010. Needham, K. (20 February 2010). Grocers push for two-hour minimum youth shifts. Available: http://www.smh.com.au/national/grocers-push-for-twohour-minimum-youthshifts-20100219-olzr.html. Last accessed 14 August 2010. Perpitch, N. (5 February 2010). Gillard calls time on young Matthew's job. Available: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/julia-gillard-calls-time-on-young-matthewspencers-job/story-e6frg6nf-1225826908331. Last accessed 14 August 2010.