
Issue No 44		03 March 2000

Labour Review

What's New

By Neale Towart - Labor Council Information Centre

Read the latest issue of Labour Review our resource for students, activists and officials.

Flexible Work Options

The Equal Opportunity Tribunal of W.A. has found that the state government's health board guilty of unlawful discrimination because of it's refusal to reinstate a nurse on a part-time basis when she returned from adoption leave. The board said she could not job share the position and the woman was forced to accept a series of lower paid positions in order to fit in with her family responsibilities. The tribunal found that the reasons given for rejecting the job sharing proposal were "vague, ill-considered, superficial and had no objective basis. In fact, a genuine and fair consideration of the proposal would have led to the conclusion that the particular job sharing proposal being advanced had considerable advantages which may well (and in our view probably would) have outweighed the disadvantages".

(Workplace Change; issue 47, February 2000)

Contract Management and the Australian Public Sector

A Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit inquiry into contract management has unleashed a barrage of criticisms about the way the process is handled and managed. Comments such as "Corporate Alzheimer's Disease" and arguable breaches of the Trade Practices Act are highlights. One of the worst examples is from the Dept overseen by that paragon of efficient work practices, Peter Reith. The contractor, Busy Inc., who provide Entry level Training Support Services to the Commonwealth, are very concerned about the lack of accountability in the process. Rob Kenney, of Busy Inc. said "if the contract were contestable under the Trade Practices Act we would probably be seeking constant redress for negligence in the discharge of their responsibilities".

The Committee is still accepting submissions and public hearings began in February. Recommendations are expected in June.

(Workplace Change; issue 47, February 2000)

Super Funds Want Safe Workplaces

The AWU wants super funds to play a role in stemming workplace deaths and injuries by not investing in organisations that in any way threaten workers' occupational health and safety. The way to do this is for all organisations to report their OHS performance to make it easier for funds to make ethical choices when investing.

Speaking at the AWU's conference last November, Jane Paskin of Clayton Utz said that funds could make ethical investment choices but the returns were usually lower, so members would need to be advised prior to the investment taking place.

James Their, of Australian Ethical Investments, speaking at the same conference, indicated that high yield investments can be gained from ethically performing companies.

(Work Alert; January 2000)

Women, Gender and Work (part II)

Janneke Plantenga and Johan Hansen assess equal opportunities in the European Union. Reinforcing the principle of equal opportunity is one of the four pillars of EU employment policy. Effective monitoring and assessment of steps towards addressing equal opportunity problem areas require development of indicators usable in different socio-economic areas.

Supranational Action Against Sex Discrimination: Equal Pay and Equal Treatment in the European Union by Ingeborg Heide starts with a historical look at the development of European institutions and legislation and goes on to show how the process is continuing with various judgements of the European Court of Justice.

Other articles cover differing management styles, families and flexible work practices and sex specific labour market indicators.

(International Labour Review; vol. 138, no. 4, 1999)

NRMA Insurance Demutualisation

Race Mathews expresses strong concerns with the proposed demutualisation as one of the last chances to defend Australia's history of mutual organisations from the corporate greed of those who seek to profit from the years of goodwill built up by the NRMA (and previously by AMP, St George etc). He briefly illustrates the history of the mutual, co-operative and credit union movements and argues that at a time of uncertainty, restructuring and regional downturn, they can again play a pivotal role in community economic and social development.

The Marsden-Copernican report was commissioned by the NRMA Board and paid for by members, but the Board refuses to let it be made public, presumably because the report contradicts the Board's claims that its problems are insuperable unless they demutualise. The report also highlights the success of thriving mutually owned financial intermediaries in Holland and Canada.

Mathews does not simply criticise but also outlines ways to re-target and re-invent mutual organisations, including ways of avoiding conflicts of interests amongst Board members.

(Journal of Australian Political Economy; no. 44, December 1999

Genetic Testing and Employment

President Clinton has banned US federal agencies from genetic discrimination. Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission Chair Dr Diane Sisely says that although there is nothing specific in Victorian legislation, it is unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of disability, whether real or implied. "Any pre-employment tests not related to the applicant's ability to carry out the genuine and reasonable requirements of the job could leave employers open to complaints of disability discrimination. The Senate has sidelined Senator Stott-Despoja's bill concerning this issue, but has recommended that the issues be addressed by amendments to existing legislation.

(Discrimination Alert; issue 104, 15 February 2000)

Sharing Ideas for a Safer Workplace

The National Occupational health and Safety Commission (NOHSC) has launched a pilot database of practical OHS solutions in a bid to share ideas for safer workplaces. The National Solutions database is available via the NOHSC website at http://www.nohsc.gov.au and so far has about 400 practical and often inexpensive suggestions for safer workplaces.

(Occupational Health and Safety Bulletin; vol. 9, no. 187, February 2000)

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Issue 44 contents

Interview: The Big Fella
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley speaks about Labor�s evolving relationship with the trade union movement in the post-Accord era.

Unions: An Interactive Resource
The priority for unions in the 21st century is organising and growth. Greg Combet�s unions @work report identified the direction unions should be moving.

Media: Public Hearings
As the big media players look increasingly tarnished, the broadcasting minnows like FBi are seeking their share of the airwaves.

History: Labour History Under Siege
In good labour tradition, the history section of Workers Online begins the year with a call to arms.

Olympics: Games Greed Boosts Homeless Numbers
'Homeless in Sydney' is shaping up to be the theme of the Olympics with many property owners evicting tenants and pushing up rents.

Women: No Time To Be Casual
International Women�s Day is a day to take action. As a shop steward or union delegate why not use IWD as an opportunity to encourage the women in your workplace to join the union?

International: Serbian And Kosovo Unions Meet
The Italian metalworkers has hosted meetings on how to build a different future for the workers in the Balkans.

Labour Review: What's New
Read the latest issue of Labour Review our resource for students, activists and officials.

Review: Rock and a Hard Place
A hippie festival? Alternative? No way...the music festival know as the Big Day Out (BDO) is fast becoming a mainstream youth cultural event, a snapshot of the broader society that unions are struggling to engage.

» Directors: Two Strikes And You�re Out

» Track Workers Face Spot Drug Tests

» Big Bird Fights Ansett Jobs Flight

» LaborNet A Step Forward in Democracy

» From the Lorry to the Creche, We're Watching

» Penal Provisions Against Teachers Condemned

» Auditor General Moves on TAFE

» Yahoo! Under Fire for Union Censorship

» Unrest Bubbles Over Coke Sackings

» Jennie To Sign Off Online

» Basic Goods Sought for East Timorese

» Western Sydney Added to Campus Tour

» Pay Equity Update

» STOP PRESS: Mac Attack Tuesday