Episode 19: IR Simplified Podcast

IR Simplified Podcast: Episode 19 Enterprise Agreements Part 8
IR Simplified Podcast: Episode 19
Enterprise Agreements Part 8

Your enterprise agreement has come back from the Fair Work Commission, all signed off and approved.

Does this mean you can forget about it until just before the nominal expiry date?

In this episode I explain why planning for the next agreement should begin when the current one comes back from the Fair Work Commission.

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IR Simplified Podcast – Episode 10

In this episode I talk about the cost that sick leave has on the economy, and that we need to move away from the archaic way that we very personal/carer’s leave. It’s time we stopped this allocation of limited days and moved to unlimited sick leave. You can join the discussion on LinkedIn, in the … Read more

Did Steve Knott Get It Wrong?

Photo Credit: Lars Plougmann via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: Lars Plougmann via Compfight cc

Steve Knott, Chief Executive of AMMA, when talking about the Fair Work Act 2009 stated “… for too long employers have battled an ineffective and uncompetitive workplace system that creates barriers and distractions to leadership, innovation and productivity.” That unions were “…forcing employers to process a phone book of union claims, effectively excluding any real opportunity to look at ways to improve the competitiveness and productivity of the business”. He goes even further to say that “The system also leaves employers under a constant threat of strike action”

Is he right, making misleading comments, or showing his lack of understanding of Australia’s employment legislation?

It should be noted that the comments above were made in support of the Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 which is currently before parliament.

Way Off The Mark

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Who’s To Blame? The Act or Industry?

Productivity and wages blowout.

These terms are two of the most common ones used as ‘proof’ that the Fair Work Act 2009 is a failure.

Those on the industry side of the fence are all too quick to point out that because productivity is the lowest that it has been in a decade, and wages growth is high, that the Fair Work Act has indeed failed.

Has the Fair Work Act actually failed, or are they just scaremongering to increase public awareness of their brand/increase membership?

If the Fair Work Act has indeed failed, how much of this failure is the fault of industry?

I think they have short memories when it comes to the wages that they offered at the start of the mining boom. Bribing potential employees with the high wages to prevent a skills gap when mining took off.

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