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Issue No. 328 | 13 October 2006 |
Straw Men
Interview: Australia�s Most Wanted Industrial: The Fox and the Contractor Unions: Industrial Wasteland International: Two Bob's Worth Economics: National Interest Environment: The Real Dinosaur History: Only In Spain? Review: Clerk Off
Classifieds the New IR Attack Dog States Keep Stakes in IR Blueprint Meatworkers Boned by WorkChoices Democracy Overboard in Bass Strait Unionist Targeted for Deportation Taxpayers Taken to the Cleaners Workers Lose Right to Choose Lawyers
Legends The Soapbox Obituary Fiction
The Unpromised Land
Labor Council of NSW |
News Heinemann Pushes the Envelope
The South African-owned company has attempted to stop employees from seeking to protect their entitlements should the company go bust. But the Australian Industrial Relations Commission has upheld a previous decision - appealed by Heinemann - that seeking protection for employee entitlements is not 'prohibited content' under Howard's new laws. Under WorkChoices, all content not directly pertaining to the employment relationship is banned from workplace agreements. Heinemann sought an order to stop members of the Electrical Trades Union taking protected industrial action on the grounds the union was pursuing prohibited content. But the AIRC's full bench said a claim protect employee entitlements in the event of liquidation did pertain to the employment relationship, similarly to claims for employer superannuation or insurance against loss of earnings. In August, while attempting to negotiate an enterprise bargaining agreement which guaranteed their entitlements and granted a reasonable pay rise, the workers stopped working voluntary overtime for a week, but continued to work normal hours. Heinemann - which wanted to slash penalty rates for overtime and shift work - refused to pay 54 Victorian employees for that week's work, owing them $33,000 in total. The workers are continuing to fight for a fair collective agreement.
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