The fact is to rescind WorkChoices legislation Labour needs adequate numbers in the Senate, which they don't have until mid year.
And even then it is looking increasingly like a hung Senate: 37 Coalition; 32 Labour; 5 Greens (who may support Labour - at a price); one Family First; one Independent (who may support Labour if poker machines are abolished)!
Labour is already suggesting AWAs will be permitted for the WA mining industry and all workers over $75,000 per annum. And how many major airline pilots earn less than $75,000 per annum????
And if WorkChoices are abolished, what industrial framework will replace it - not the Award system, surely, which politicians of all flavour agree passed it's use by date decades ago.
Labour says EBAs. Ask any QF employee what they think of EBAs!
There is nothing inherently wrong with the AWA concept, provided legislation exists to exclude employee exploitation. Over 1.5 million Australian workers are parties to AWAs and most, including myself, are overwhelmingly satisfied with that form of agreement.
My guess AWAs, in one form or another, will remain, with legislation in place to place to exclude employee exploitation, which should have happened in the first place!