Page 9 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

Last year’s ‘stability pact’
with employers has been
a great success. It not only delivered members a 4% wage increase with no trade- ofs, it bought the entire industry some time while
we had the twin threats of the reintroduction of the ABCC and the Building Code hanging over our heads.
A year on, both those threats remain. But with a Federal election looming, the entire game could be about to change. The Turnbull government
is sticking to Tony Abbott’s hard line anti-worker agenda, trying to push the ABCC and Building Code legislation through a hostile Senate — this time under threat of a double dissolution election.
A chance to change the game
Whatever the outcome of the manoeuvring taking place in Canberra, this year’s election presents us with a chance to push back hard and change the agenda both politically and industrially — by voting the Liberals out.
We’ve campaigned hard on this issue each and every time it has come before the Parliament, and thus far have successfully blocked and delayed its progress. However, success this time will trigger a double dissolution election. If the Liberals win that election, the ABCC and Building Code will be voted on by a joint-sitting of both houses of parliament — all but guaranteeing its passage into law.
UNIoN NEWS > CONTRACTING
*UPdate*
cOntracting indUstry
bargaining
What is at stake
The Building Code, contained within the proposed legislation to re-establish the ABCC, remains the greatest threat to our ability to bargain fairly. An analysis of the ETU’s standard construction EBA found that 76 clauses would not comply with the Building Code. Clauses deemed non-compliant include those that:
Prevent unlimited ordinary hours worked per day
Guarantee the employee’s ability to have a day of work on Christmas Day, Easter Sunday, public holidays, etc.
Encourage the employment of apprentices
Discourage discrimination against mature workers
Include agreed stable and secure shift arrangements or rosters
Ensure construction workers’ conditions and entitlements cannot be eroded
Provide for equality and fairness onsite for construction workers
Impact on the rights of construction workers to have a safe workplace.
Our campaign will kick of later this year with mass meetings of
all contracting members. We will know soon enough whether we will be able to bargain freely or under the oppressive conditions of the Building Code. Either way, we will be bargaining in 2016 ... Fiercely and fearlessly. n
the building Code, contained within the proposed legislation to re-establish the AbCC, remains the greatest threat to our ability to bargain fairly. An analysis
of the Etu’s standard construction EbA found that 76 clauses would not comply with the building Code.
www.etuvic.com.au
tHE Etu > AutuMn 2016
9