Statistics released by the Office of the Employment Advocate (now the Workplace Authority) for January-March 2007 indicate that across Australia more employers in the retail industry are entering Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) with their employees than in any other industry. To 31 March 2007, 55,036 retail AWAs had been lodged since the WorkChoices workplace reforms came into operation on 27 March 2006. Retail is clearly the top user of the individual agreement making option by a long way. The second top user is the accommodation and food services industry. The mining industry – where use of AWAs is prevalent – lodges less than half the number of AWAs lodged in the retail industry. The abolition of such an option would undoubtedly see thousands of retailers remaining under award conditions, decreasing the momentum for greater flexibility and productivity gains in the industry.
