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Issue No. 146 | 26 July 2002 |
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Crean-ite Is Not A Dirty Word
Interview: Trans Tasman Cole-Watch: The Full Story Unions: The Right To A Life Bad Boss: Phoenix Rising Politics: The Virtuous State International: The Champions History: Mandatory Mums Corporate: Network Governance Review: Navigating The Doublespeak Satire: Hector The Galah Found Hiding Poetry: Eight Days a Week
The Soapbox The Locker Room Postcard Week in Review Bosswatch
 No Need To Import IT WorkersKangaroo Court Horrifies ReaderSite Reunites Redundant WorkersCarr Off CourseThe Banners of GreedJoin The PartyShocks and Stares
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News Reasonable Hours Call to Arms
ACTU assistant secretary Richard Marles called on unions to use this week's decision in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to spark a new wave of activism around working life issues. While conceding the AIRC decision had not gone as far as the ACTU wanted, Marles says establishing a basic right to refuse unreasonable overtime is an historic breakthrough. "Previously, employers had the right to force workers to perform reasonable overtime," Marles says. "This decision gives workers the right to say no." He also welcomed the fact that the AIRC had accepted ACTU evidence on the scope of both paid and unpaid overtime, noting that in terms of long hours Australia ranked only second to South Korea amongst developed nations. Marles accepted the decision was only a "a first step" with key components of the ACTU claim rejected. The AIRC refused to accept an ACTU claim for an extra, paid, two-day break after extreme working conditions, such as 60 hours over four weeks, 26 days over a four-week period or an average of 54 hours a week over eight weeks. But he says there the decision does provide an industrial springboard for unions to organise around the issue. Marles has commenced a series of seminars to brief unions on how they can apply the decision to industrial agreements. Building Workers Launch 36 Hour Claim Meanwhile, the CFMEU is gearing up to fight to reduce working hours - foreshadowing a national campaign for a 36 hour week. CFMEU Construction Division national secretary John Sutton says the outcome of this week's 'Reasonable Hours' case left workers with no option but to take on this issue on an industry by industry basis. "Overtime is endemic in our industry and we will be coordinating action around the nation to allow our members to reclaim their lives," Sutton says. "Building workers are currently confronted with a federal government that has not only set up a political witch-hunt against their union, but actively opposes measures to improve the balance in their working lives." The national common minimum claim- for more than 4000 Enterprise Bargaining Agreements that end over the next few months - will include: - Introduction of a 36 Hour Week from 1st July 2003. - Wages - 15% over 3 years. - Boost in Superannuation and Redundancy. - Limits on the use of casuals. - Bargaining Fees clauses. - Duration of agreements until 30th September 2005. "We put all building industry employers on notice that we will not be diverted from our goal," Sutton says. "We are naturally open to dialogue with the employers and would like to achieve these improvements without industrial stoppages or dislocation."
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