New deal
Secure Jobs , Better Pay bill passes
By Elise Hartevelt and NCA NewsWire .
A
new bill has passed that will allow workers , including aged care staff , to bargain for higher pay with their employers .
The ‘ Secure Jobs , Better Pay ’ bill introduces a new multi-employer bargaining system where staff can work with unions to negotiate for better pay and working conditions .
ANMF federal chief Annie Butler said its ‘ high time ’ aged care workers receive more than $ 22 an hour .
“ We need a bargaining system which is fair and equitable for all workers across all industries ,” Butler said .
“ The bill is critical in giving nurses and aged care workers access to a collective bargaining system which allows for much-needed wage-growth , improved conditions and increased gender equity across workplaces .”
Labor will adopt the recommendations from a parliamentary inquiry into the bill including changing the definition of a small business that can be excluded from multiemployer bargaining from one that employs 15 people to one that employs 20 .
It will also be easier for a business with 50 employees or fewer to opt out of multi-employer bargaining by giving them a stronger ability to argue to the Fair Work Commission that they should be excluded .
The responsible minister will be given the power to decide which occupations can take part in the low-paid bargaining stream , which was designed for workers in industries such as aged care and cleaning .
The government will also set up a new statutory advisory committee to review welfare payments and provide independent advice before every federal budget on the structural challenges to economic inclusion for Australia ’ s poorest people . The expansion of
“ multiemployer bargaining — which essentially makes it easier for workers at
The bill is different companies within critical . one industry to band together to call for better pay and conditions — has been the most contentious element of the legislation . Under the “ single interest ” stream , workers will be able to negotiate a single enterprise agreement to cover different workplaces , as long as a majority of employees at each company involved agree to do so .
The Fair Work Commission will have to determine that workers have a common interest before allowing them to take part in multi-employer bargaining .
Employer groups and the coalition have argued the multi-employer bargaining provisions would lead to widespread strikes and high levels of industrial conflict and give union ’ s undue power in workplaces . ■
26 agedcareinsite . com . au