UCA President claims that unfair dismissal laws are

The Uniting Church argued yesterday for changes in the government’s proposed workplace reforms to make them fairer.

The Uniting Church President Rev Dr Dean Drayton presented evidence to the Senate’s inquiry into proposed workplace relations laws.

Dr Drayton said many unemployed people may continue to fall through the cracks under the new system.

"It is true that unemployment is at its lowest in for many years," Dr Drayton told ABC radio. "However, there are still many people who are looking for jobs.

"There are people who are vulnerable because they don’t speak English, because they are from a multicultural society or they are people who desperately need a job at a particular moment.

"These people, even in an economy which is running well, are going to be … at a disadvantage.

"That is when the economy is running well, but economies go in cycles."

Dr Drayton said exempting businesses with under 100 employees from unfair dismissal laws was "outrageous".

Photo : Uniting Church President Rev Dr Dean Drayton