
Issue No 72		06 October 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Trades Hall

Labour Hire In The Dock

By Peter Zangari

Labor Council calls for tighter regulation of the labour hire industry in its submission to the NSW Goverment's Labour Hire Task Force.

Key recommendations include legislation for the payment of site rates andthe provision of a minimum amount of work for labour hire employees.

The Taskforce is chaired by former ACTU President Jenny George and comprises equal numbers of union and employer representatives.

The Labour Hire Taskforce, set up by the NSW Government, will meet next week to consider further submissions from unions, employers and the general public.

Labour hire is being used in more and more NSW workplaces than ever. There has been a shift away from traditional forms of employment, towards labour hire. Labor Council notes in its submission to the Taskforce that despite this shift, employees still want the benefits of permanent employment. For some time now, Labor Council affiliates have confronted problems associated with the use of labour hire and brought them to the Council's attention.

The submission, which can be found at http://www.lcnsw.labor.net.au/papers/laborhire.html is the culmination of a two-month investigation into the issues that are confronting unions at the moment. A Working Group of union industrial officers, researchers and organisers was formed to identify areas that need to be addressed. The participating unions were:

Australian Services Union (Clerks)
Australian Workers Union
Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union of Australia
Federated Municipal and Shire Employees Union
Finance Sector Union of Australia
Flight Attendants Association of Australia
National Union of Workers
NSW Nurses Association
Public Service Association
Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association
Transport Workers Union of Australia

The operation of labour hire in New South Wales is diverse and spread across all industries and occupations. It is not only limited to the metropolitan regions, traditional blue-collar occupations or the private sector. It is also noted that the problem has a global dimension where labour hire workers from overseas are now performing identical work and working side-by-side Australian workers on completely different wages and working conditions/ entitlements. Other industry case studies are provided in the submission to illustrate the nature and extent of labour hire.

Labor Council sees a key problem is the control of opportunistic labour hire companies who gain a commercial advantage by undermining basic standards. While many labour hire companies observe and pay the correct award conditions many others do not pay site rates. One recommendation is to legislate for the payment of site rates; ie that there be a requirement that labour hire workers be paid as if they were employees of the host company when working on the host company's site.

The paper outlines three outcomes that need to be addressed as a matter of urgent priority: safety, training and fair wages and conditions. All have emerged as problems primarily as a result of labour being treated as an expendable commodity. Laboure hire workers are at a greater risk of injury than other employees, receive either very little or no training and receive wages and conditions that are lower than other employees.

Labor Council has devised recommendations to help the Task force develop policy in this area as well as specific proposals for immediate action. Specific recommendations centre on a) safety issues, b) Training and Skills formation, (c) Pay and Conditions, (d) Job Security and (e) Procedures and Mechanisms.

It will be interesting to see what comes out of the Taskforce as it prepares to brief the Carr Government on this important employment issue. With the recent amendments to the Industrial Relations Act now in place, there is a great opportunity for legislative reform in the area of labour hire.

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Issue 72 contents

Interview: Taking It To The Union Busters
ACTU Assistant Secretary Richard Marles talks to Workers Online about turning back the anti-union sentiment growing in the business community, responsible unionism and the sense of fun to be found at the ACTU.

International: The White Knights
The International Labour Organisation has become the great hope for those fighting to give globalisation a human face. Australian Bob Kyloh is one of those working with trade unions within the ILO to make it happen.

Politics: Industrial Democracy for Australia
Glenn Patmore argues we need new forms of employee representation in the workplace to broaden employee participation.

Unions: Behind The Scenes
In a small office at Homebush Bay, as the world focused on all that was positive about our games, Unions 2000 and SOCOG officials worked tirelessly to ensure that no worker was ripped off. Chris Christoudoulou reports.

Satire: Parade of Icons �Could Have Included Even More Ex-Aussies� Say Critics
The selection of Greg Norman, Paul Hogan and Elle Macpherson to represent Australia in the �Parade of Icons� during the Closing Ceremony of the Sydney Games last night has prompted a storm of complaints from other famous former Australians.

Review: Elliott Smiths Figure 8
Smith is basically the secret love child of the fab four and it�s so blatantly obvious. That�s not a bad thing because one thing Lennon and McCartney were reknown for was there ability to pen catchy tunes.

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