Industrial News 2008
May 2008
New Awards for Nurses
The Federal Government’s proposed changes to Commonwealth industrial relations laws include the requirement that the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) make new modern awards to cover all employees when the government’s proposed new Workplace Relations system commences in January 2010.
It is expected that this award modernisation process will involve the rationalisation and simplification of over 700 federal awards and 1,600 state awards.
To commence this process the federal government has formally requested the AIRC develop new awards in consultation with key stakeholders including unions and employer groups.
Initially the consultations will seek to determine which industries and occupations require separate awards, the scope of coverage of the new awards and how the number of existing awards may be reduced.
These new awards will effectively provide a revised safety net of employment conditions based on the 10 national employment standards and a further 10 award conditions tailored for particular industries and occupations.
The new awards will provide important employment conditions such as minimum wages, penalty rates and overtime allowances and be subject to periodical review and adjustment by the relevant industrial tribunal.
The AIRC has advised unions and employers that they intend to establish a priority list of industries and occupations with a view to making new awards for these areas by June 2008.It is expected that the health and community services sectors will be included in the priority group of industries.
The Commission will shortly begin convening meetings and consultations with unions and employer groups to identify agreed changes to draft awards and also to identify areas of disagreement.
The ANF will participate in these discussions with a firm view that the identified and accepted occupation of nursing should be preserved in a new modern award regime. Further, that the content of existing nursing awards both at a federal and state level should be preserved. The ANF will also be consulting with other unions and employer groups who have an interest in the nursing sector to seek their support for these proposals.
Nick Blake
ANF Senior Federal Industrial Officer