BUSINESS UPDATE (Issue 18)
Quarry Industry—Victoria—Award 2000—PLF0088
The Senior Deputy President Cartwright of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission issued an order on20/9/04 varying the award by increasing severance payments and placing additional obligations on employers when decisions are made to retrench employees.
For more information please visit:
www.wagenet.gov.au
The major changes include:
- New severance payment requirements for employers who employ 15 or more employees ranging from 4 weeks after one year’s service up to 16 weeks after 9 but less than 10 year’s service.
- New severance payment requirements for employer’s who employ less than 15 employees ranging from 4 weeks pay after one year’s service up to 8 weeks pay after 4 year’s service.
- A new clause 11 Notice of Termination.
Operative Date: first pay period to commence on/after 24/9/04.
New Role for Vic Police
Police in Victoria have a new role to play in investigating work-related deaths after a working party, which included Vic Police, Vic WorkSafe, the Office of Public Prosecutions and the Coroner, directed that a detective should be assigned to investigations. “Vic Police has always had a role to play in the investigation of industrial deaths, but now a detective will oversee the investigation to see if there is any criminality and if there is to ensure that is investigated,” he said.
‘Pure Risk’ fine a Vic Record
Victorian courts have signaled they are willing to impose heavy penalties for OHS breaches that involve ‘pure risk’, as opposed to injury, after a Box Hill panel beating shop was fine $120,000 for failing to provide adequate protective equipment. The fine, which was a record for a ‘pure risk’ case, was imposed by the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court on GCA (OLD) Pty Ltd after it failed to provide full-face respirators to spray painters.
One employee told Vic WorkSafe he used a half-face mask for four years while working with paints containing isocyanates. The company told workers full-face masks would not be provided until they started paying for them out of their own wages. Inspectors informed GCA in 2000 that it needed to provide appropriate masks, but a return visit two years later revealed masks were still not being used. The incident prompted a two-year blitz of 350 panel beaters across the state, during which more than 550 improvement notices were issued. (The business trading as Graeme Cuthbert Automotive is not associated with the charged company.)
“Reprinted courtesy of Occupational Health News, published by CPD, phone: 03 9205 0681.”
New National Body for Safety & Workers Compensation
Supplied by MBAV OH&S Update
The Commonwealth Government has announced plans for a new national body to deal with workplace safety and workers compensation.
The new body, the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (ASCC), will comprise of representatives from each State and Territory government, as well as the Australian Government, along with employer and employee representatives.
The ASCC will establish a national approach to workplace safety and workers compensation that currently does not exist in Australia.
Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Craig Emerson, said the decision was designed to deny the unions a role in monitoring and enforcing safety standards.
Australian Construction Equipment Expo 2005
A reminder that the 4th Australian Construction Equipment Expo (ACE 2005) is just around the corner with the exhibition to be run from Thursday 24th to Saturday 26th of February 2005 at Sandown Racecourse.
ACE is the largest trade event in Australia dedicated to the earthmoving, civil construction, quarry and extractive industries and will occupy an impressive 50,000 square metres which is the equivalent to almost two Melbourne Exhibition Centres!
As with ACE 2003, the CMPA will have an expo stand and we invite all members to drop in and say ‘hi’ whilst passing through.
At this stage we are inviting expressions of interest from CMPA Members who would be interested in being involved in the CMPA stand. All helpers are welcome and any offers would be greatly appreciated.
Those Voting Members who are interested in attending the Event (and not wanting to pay the $20 entry fee!) should keep an eye out for the free entry forms which will be available from your key suppliers attending ACE or in the CMPA News which is to be released just prior to ACE.
Please feel free to visit the ACE 2005 website at www.ace2005.com.au for more information.
VECCI ECONOMIC UPDATE
*denotes non-adjusted figures
Supplied by VECCI www.vecci.org.au
For further information please contact:
Chris Cudsi
(03) 8662 5406
ccudsi@vecci.org.au
IN THE PIPELINE
As always, the CMPA is striving to meet the needs of members and the wider industry. In order to ensure that we do this to the best of our ability, we continually look forward to see what will be required :
- Development of the support materials for capital acquisitions
- Finalisation of the support materials for noise control
- Release of the remaining two drilling publication. Note: the support materials are being sent to the printers this week
- Monitor and contribute comment to the revised OHSA
- Further address the native title issue
- Review of the EIDA
- Develop general employee health support materials following the
presentation of the DPIs guidance material - Establishment of a Business Support Board to assist members in difficulty
- Establishment of a protocol for banks to use with assessing the value of commercial leases
- Commence planning for the 2005 Annual General Meeting and Dinner
If you are able to assist or are interested in any of the above projects, please contact the Secretariat.
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