NSW IRC in danger of closure: Greens THE NSW government has been accused of winding down the state's industrial umpire, leaving workers vulnerable to wage cuts. The NSW Government announced on Wednesday that four Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) judges, including its president Justice Roger Boland, will take an early retirement in February next year. There is only expected to be one judge by 2013. NSW Treasurer Mike Baird says this is because the IRC is dealing with fewer disputes as a result of the transfer of private sector workers to the federal industrial relations system. But Greens MP David Shoebridge says the retirement of the judges brings the IRC one step closer to abolition. He's accused the O'Farrell government of undermining the IRC's jurisdiction since coming to power, leaving many workers unable to appeal unfair treatment. "The IRC has handed down a number of important decisions in the last few months alone upholding the rights of working people in NSW to fair wages and conditions," he said in a statement. If the Government achieves its aim and abolishes the IRC there will be no institution left to provide a check on its wage cutting agenda. The IRC's current Vice President Michael Walton will take up the commission's top post from February.