SHOCKFACTS: Individual contracts

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 - 10:00

  • One of the federal Coalition government's proposed industrial relations changes will allow bosses to force workers onto individual contracts that cut pay and reduce conditions to just five minimum standards.

  • Workers who refuse to sign individual contracts may face the threat of sacking.

  • Under current laws, any individual contract offered to a worker must contain pay rates and conditions at least equal to entitlements under the current award. The new laws will undermine this "no disadvantage test" and remove workers' right to a range of basic conditions.

  • Many workers will lose conditions like weekend, shift and public holiday rates; overtime; redundancy pay; allowances; and casual loadings.

[Source: <http://www.actu.asn.au/work_rights>.]

From Green Left Weekly, July 20, 2005.

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From GLW issue 634