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Issue No. 310 | 09 June 2006 |
I'm No Economist, But �.
Interview: Rock Solid Industrial: Eight Simple Rules for Employing My Teenage Daughter Politics: The Johnnie Code Energy: Fission Fantasies History: All The Way With Clarrie O'Shea International: Closer to Home Economics: Taking the Fizz Unions: Stronger Together Review: Montezuma's Revenge Poetry: Fair Go Gone
Grandmother Fights Fabrication Company Bog Standards, Hanssen Exposed Iemma Told To Change At Central "Spineless" Andrews Apologises Process Abused - Call Peter McIlwain
The Soapbox The Locker Room Parliament Education
Greens Are Good For You Calling All Micks! Coming Up Swinging Belly's Bit Mining For Gold Blood Spangled Banner Never To Be Repeated Offer
Labor Council of NSW |
News Process Abused - Call Peter McIlwain
NSW secretary, Andrew Ferguson, says the Advocate, solely responsible for certifying collective agreements, is striking out anything that aids collective representation. Ferguson is furious about the advocate declaring paid delegate's meetings, organised by Unions NSW, "prohibited content". The Advocate is aggressive in ruling out paid leave to attend any union gatherings, including safety training, even where employers agree. But Ferguson says it is wrong, in law, in the case of Unions NSW. "The legislation is clear. We accept legally we cannot have a clause that allows workers to attend a paid union meeting," Ferguson said. "But the statute is equally clear about what constitutes a union. Unions NSW is not registered under the act and cannot, legally, be considered a trade union.' Ferguson said the OEA had put lines through dozens of agreed clauses in CFMEU agreements. The Advocate, Peter McIlwain, made it clear in Senate Estimates, last week, that he checked collective agreements for prohibited content but not check non-union individual contracts that he knew undercut minimums "protected by law". McIlwain told the Senate that while no individual contracts had been checked, 250 had been analysed and every one of them scrapped at least one protected condition. "The Employment Advocate has the final say on anything we negotiate," Ferguson said. "There is no appeal, his say is final. "If we include anything he doesn't like we face massive fines but he doesn't even check individual contracts. "It's a complete abuse of process."
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