Award modernisation: beware of Ministers bearing gifts

19 June 2006

Award modernisation sounded like a good idea at the time. But, and it is a big but, we know all those awards out there were created for good reason and reflect different circumstances across the country. We were immediately sceptical that the process could be completed without disadvantaging employees.

Award modernisation now seems to be a Trojan horse that we let in, in good faith, but now it is pillaging the wages and conditions that we had enshrined in awards over generations. We need to act to stop this happening.

The Federal Government insisted that no worker would be disadvantaged by award modernisation or that it would increase costs for employers. Easier said than done!

The ASU has now endured numerous attempts to undermine our awards but we have been fighting this every step of the way. In fact, we have clocked up over 100 submissions in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in pursuit of our members’ rights.

We have fought major battles trying to protect the ordinary hours of clerical and administrative workers, having wages undermined by low exemption rates being rolled across the country and in-house call centre workers being disadvantaged.

Latest campaign – airlines ground staff

Our latest big campaign is to protect airlines ground staff. The first draft of their modernised award from the AIRC dramatically cuts rates and conditions and is a complete disgrace. We are asking our members and supporters to seek a Government intervention by sending an email to Deputy Prime Minister Gillard and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese.

You can read about the case and send an email from here: “Airlines Modern Award Crash Lands”.

Rest assured that we are being vigilant through the entire award modernisation process which will go on for some time yet. Keep your eyes open for campaigns that you can get involved in as you can make the difference between our rights being saved or lost.