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Australian Workplace Agreements
Workers sacked then AWA'ed
By ACTU
IR laws could allow workers sacked for 'operational reasons' to be replaced by new staff on AWAs with just 5 conditions.
The Federal Government's new IR laws which stop workers sacked for 'operational reasons' from accessing unfair dismissal protections could leave existing employees exposed to being sacked unfairly and replaced with new cheaper workers employed on AWAs with just five minimum conditions the ACTU said today.
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet "These laws are a threat to the job security of every Australian employee. They will give employers unprecedented new powers to hire and fire at will.
"It even appears possible that under the new laws any existing worker could be sacked for a so called 'operational reason' only to be replaced by a new cheaper worker employed on an AWA containing only 5 minimum conditions.
"So not only do these laws abolish all unfair dismissal protections for 3.7 million workers employed in businesses with 100 or less staff, they also mean that any worker, even those employed in companies with more than 100 staff can be sacked unfairly so long as their employer says the dismissal was for 'operational reasons.'
"The laws also make it legal for any employer to engage new staff on the condition that they sign an AWA individual contract that contains just five minimum conditions and strips away basic award conditions like overtime pay, redundancy pay, meal breaks, public holiday pay or shift penalties.
"This is a recipe that could allow unscrupulous employers to unfairly dismiss any existing worker for 'operational reasons' and replace them with cheaper workers employed on AWA individual contracts that cut wages to minimum rates and remove conditions like overtime, public holiday pay and shift penalties.
"These laws are a disgraceful assault on the basic job security of Australian working families."
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet
Address Tasmanian workers meeting & Door stop press conference Derwent Entertainment Centre, Brooker Highway, Glenorchy, TAS 11:00 am - Address to Tasmanian workers 12:30 pm - Door stop press conference
Media Contacts:
ACTU - Susannah Greenleaf 0418 479 455
Local Tasmanian contact - Simon Cocker 0419 402 377
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