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Issue No. 304 | 28 April 2006 |
Canaries in the Coalmine
Interview: Head On Unions: Do You Have a Moment? Industrial: Vital Signs Economics: Taxing Times Environment: It Ain�t Necessarily So History: Melbourne�s Hours Immigration: Opening the Floodgates Review: Pollie Fiction Poetry: The Cabal
Revealed: Bosses Told To Blame Howard New Front on High Court Attack Mining Vigil at Day of Mourning Canberra Confidential, Andrews on the Run
Politics Politics The Soapbox Postcard The Locker Room Obituary
Belly Battles Answer is Easy
Labor Council of NSW |
News SA Boss Not Trusted With Kids
Third year apprentice electricians Robert Elkson and Greg Garrard were sacked without notice by Kadina electrical and plumbing firm Mildwaters Trade Centre on Monday March 27, the day the federal government's new work laws took effect. SA Unions secretary Janet Giles also wants the apprentices to be able to complete their qualifications through another employer, and to be fully paid out their wages and other entitlements. "This company has acted illegally. Mildwaters must know it is illegal to sack apprentices, as it was pinged for illegally sacking an apprentice some years ago, but obviously thought it could get away with it under the new federal laws" Ms Giles says. "Thankfully, we have state laws which, unlike the draconian new federal legislation, offer protection to apprentices and trainees." "We will urge the Grievance Dispute Mediation Committee to apply the full force of the state laws to this company, to send a strong message to employers that they cannot illegally sack apprentices and get away with it." "Companies must realise that although the federal laws give enormous scope to exploit many workers, it remains illegal to sack apprentices and trainees." "Furthermore, it is not good enough to claim ignorance or try to blame an illegal action on external advice. Any employer who sacks an apprentice is responsible for that action, regardless of the basis on which it made that decision." "In the case of these two apprentices, the company is trying to suggest it received advice from Business SA stating it could sack its workers. However SA Unions has received a copy of the advice provided by Business SA which shows that was not that case. The fact remains that it is the company's responsibility to act legally."
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