
Issue No 89		23 March 2001

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News

HIH Urged To Safeguard Employee Entitlements

The Finance Sector Union of Australia has called on HIH and KPMG, the company receivers, to immediately dispel staff concerns about employee entitlements.

The collapse of HIH again highlights the importance of securing Federal legislation to protect all employee entitlements when a company goes into liquidation.

"While we hope, and will campaign to ensure that employee entitlements are protected in the HIH disaster, the collapse of the company and the anxiety of our members about their entitlements highlights the abject failure of the Federal Government to provide proper protection for Australian workers caught in this situation. They have been dragging their feet for too long on this issue", FSU National Secretary, Tony Beck said

While Management is informing the union that employee entitlements are secure, members are under the impression that entitlements to annual leave and long service leave will be lost. Members are also concerned about the company's ability to pay retrenchment payments to employees who end up without a job.

FSU has held initial discussions with HIH and QBE and have planned more in depth talks as soon as things become clearer. In the interim, the FSU will be urging NRMA and QBE to employ as many HIH employees as possible and insisting that those employees maintain all their years of service with HIH and all their entitlements.

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  Issue 89 contents

Interview: Paddy Takes the Helm
Irish, internationalist, republican, socialist & seafarer - Paddy Crumlin intends taking the old traditions of the labour left into the 21st century, the community and cyberspace.

Unions: Breaking the Mould
Mark Hearn looks at how women union delegates are helping to change the culture in the traditionally male bastion of glassworking.

Legal: Washing Their Hands
Mark Morey outlines how Liberal neglect of the working visa system has led to exploitation of guest workers.

International: Violence Betrays Shangri-La
Shangri-La hotel union members carrying a coffin marked Robert Kuok have been assaulted and beaten by police in Jakarta.

Economics: Corporations: Different Than You and Me
Corporations are fundamentally different than you and me. That's a simple truth that Big Business leaders desperately hope the public will not perceive.

History: The Steel Octopus
Be prepared for a flood of Nostalgia from the media about the �Big Australian�, as it prepares to flee our shores and finally internationalise its digging operations. Workers won�t forget BHP�s less than worker friendly past and present (and no doubt it�s future).

Review: Mean Nation
John Allen charts the fall and fall of philanthropy in Australian society.

Satire: Ryan 'A Big Wake-Up Call For Me': Beazley
The narrow victory to Labor in the Ryan by-election has delivered a big slap in the face to Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley.

» Abbott and �Drinking Buddy� Under Microscope

» Working Visas: Ruddock Sells Dump to Abbott

» Tourist Guides Bussed In

» Fair Wear Holds Breath as Carr Celebrates

» Labor to Restore Public Sector�s Dignity

» Its Time for Carr to Act on Safey on Building Sites

» Bread Maker Slices Workforce

» Workers Show Grace Under Pressure

» Engineers Win BHP Redundancy Case

» Transport Drug Pushers Not Charged

» Training Body Needs $150 Million to Cope with Growth

» HIH Urged To Safeguard Employee Entitlements

» Carr Proposal For Public Schools Flawed

» Human Smirk Returns to Spiritual Home

» McGauchie Appointment Draws MUA Fire

» Bove Loses McDonald's Raid Appeal

» James Hardie Called to Account

» Australasian Union Organising Conference

» Activist Notebook