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Issue No. 129 | 22 March 2002 |
Not So Happy Campers
Interview: Pulling the Pin International: At the Crossroads Unions: A Case Of Lost Identity History: Rocking the Foundations Industrial: Rocky Road Economics: Cracking a Coldie Poetry: The Right Was Wrong Satire: Heffernan�s Evidence Conclusive: Proves He's An Idiot Review: Upstairs, Downstairs
Giant Rat Fights Cole Commission Queue Jumper Abbott In Cash Grab Rabbit Fence Leads Reconciliation to Classroom Council Takes Up Discrimination Challenge Power Workers To Decide Own Fate Fee Pressure Builds on Beattie Nobel Committee 'Subordinates' Union Rights Columbians Level Death Charges Call To Blockade Burmese Junta
The Soapbox The Locker Room Postcard Cole-Watch Week in Review
Letter to Howard #2 Letter to Howard #3 Jump Before You're Pushed
Labor Council of NSW |
News Queue Jumper Abbott In Cash Grab
Federal Employment Minister Tony Abbott�s admission this week that the Government will attempt to stand in front of unpaid employees in the creditors� queue has outraged sacked workers. Despite collecting millions from its $10 air ticket tax for Ansett entitlements, Abbott confirms Government will seek priority repayment from the administrators of funds paid out from its employee entitlement support scheme. ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said the Government's move could leave Ansett employees out of pocket by clawing back some $300 million from the asset realisation programme that will be used to fund workers' entitlements. "The Government scheme only funds up to eight week's redundancy payments, so many Ansett employees will be depending on a successful asset realisation process to receive their full entitlements," Mr Combet says. "However, in the event of a shortfall in funds, the Federal Government should use the ticket tax money for the purpose for which it was collected and fund any shortfall in entitlements owed to employees. "The ticket tax money should be used to help Ansett workers - it should not end up in the Government's consolidated revenue fund if that results in sacked employees going without entitlements." About 4500 Ansett employees are expected next week to receive payment of entitlements including annual leave, long service leave, notice pay, and eight weeks' redundancy. About 7000 workers have already received similar "first tranche" payments. Second tranche payments will be made from the proceeds of the sale of Ansett's assets, last valued at $1.6 billion.
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