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Issue No. 145 | 19 July 2002 |
Two Wings Flapping
Interview: In The Tent Bad Boss: The Desk Nazi Media: Hold the Presses Workplace: Putting Bullies In Their Place Industrial: Women and Work International: Whine and Dine History: Black Adder Review: Bad Movie Poetry: I Remember
Builder Blows Whistle on Kangaroo Court Abbott Trips on Entitlements - Again Picnic Day for Union Members Only Memo: John Travolta - Come Fly With Us! Cole Comfort to Bodgey Builders Burrow: Paid Mat Leave Just First Step Mayne Warning � But Will They Listen? Drought Relief Should Extend To Rural Workers Coca Cola Action Bubbles Globally
The Soapbox The Locker Room Bosswatch Week in Review
Real Reform Hooray for Frank! Reform or Die
Labor Council of NSW |
News Abbott Trips on Entitlements - Again
While Abbott was asking big business how it thought entitlements could best be protected, his department was arguing in court that 17 former employees of a collapsed company should not be paid redundancy over unsecured creditors. The case arose after the employees were refused redundancy entitlements under the Howard Government's GEERS scheme. As a result, the company administrator sought a judgment from the NSW Supreme Court that he could pay employees their redundancy entitlements as priority creditors. Abbott's department contested the application, in Green v The Commonwealth, arguing the former workers were not entitled to the redundancy payments. On July 3, the Judge rejected the Howard Government's arguments and said employees should receive three weeks' redundancy for each year of service as priority creditors. This week the Government was discussing the issue with business. Abbott said he wanted to protect entitlements and honour promises made in the build-up to the last election with the "least collateral damage to business". In the Coogi Goo Abbott's ducking and weaving comes as news filters through that nearly 100 workers will lose their jobs because of the failure of the Coogi garment empire. Two million dollars in entitlements for another 250 workers, still employed by the group, are in jeopardy. Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union secretary Michelle O'Neill said she doubted the Government had any intention to deliver on its entitlement promise. "They haven't done anything since they were re-elected," O'Neill said. "It was clear the business community was opposed to giving workers priority over the banks. What has changed?" Meanwhile, Abbott's department will dump 67 employees in regional Australia, responsible for developing and monitoring indigenous employment opportunities. Abbott announced that DEWRSB would close 12 regional offices, including Lismore, Kempsey, Moree, Dubbo, Broken Hill, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong in NSW.
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