CCI’s Industrial Relations Policy Team analyses the impact of IR legislation on business, develops policy responses through submissions to Governments, parliamentarians, government reviews and inquiries informed by members feedback. Some of the current issues under consideration are listed below.
CCI's Industrial Relations Policy Committee provides a forum for discussing relevant issues and provides advice directly to the CCI Business Policy Forum.
It comprises representatives from CCI's overall membership base and ensures that CCI plays a key role in influencing government debate.
Current Policy Submissions
CCI Policy Paper
CCI has developed a policy position paper, Industrial Relations for Modern Enterprises, which proposes a model industrial relations system to support a responsive labour market in the modern globalised economy. It moves Australia’s system away from an adversarial conflict model to enterprise focused engagement between employers and their employees based on free enterprise principles, economic sustainability and mutual responsibility.
The policy paper was released on 25 May 2011 at the CCIWA All Member Briefing.
Click here to view the paper.
Sham Contracting
In December 2010 the Australian Building and Construction Commission launched an inquiry into the incidence of sham contracting in the building and construction industry. In March 2011 CCIWA made a submission in response to the inquiry, raising concerns about the potential for further regulation in the industry especially as there is no compelling evidence to suggest that sham contracting is widespread or that the current regulatory framework is inadequate.
Click here to view the paper.
Termination of modernisable instruments
On 22 December 2010, the Full Bench of Fair Work Australia handed down a decision regarding the termination of modernisable instruments. The decision considered the best way to terminate the large number of old outdated awards that have remained in operation after the commencement of the modern awards on 1 January 2010.
Modernisable instruments include award-based transitional instruments and transitional Australian Pay and Classification Scales including awards, state reference transitional awards (“2B”) and NAPSA’s. The Fair Work Act 2009 requires that all remaining modernisable instruments are terminated as soon as practicable after the modern awards come into operation.
The termination process is likely to be fraught with some difficulty as there are some instruments that cannot be terminated. CCI made a submission to Fair Work Australia in relation to these issues.
Click here to view the paper.
Equal Remuneration Order
On 11 March 2010 the Australian Services Union and other unions lodged an application for an equal remuneration order pursuant to Part 2.7 of the Fair Work Act 2009.
CCI made a submission which, while supporting standards of equal remuneration for work of equal or comparable value, opposed the unions’ claim on the basis that it was in effect a claim to increase minimum rates, did not address the criteria and was not proven.
Click here to view the paper.
State IR Review
In early 2009, Mr Steven Amendola was appointed to head a review of the WA Industrial Relations System and report to the Government in November 2009. The purpose of the review was to ensure the IR system “…provides flexibility and productivity; and is competitive with elements of the new federal industrial relations system”.
CCI provided a comprehensive submission to the independent review in August 2009.
The final report following the review (the Amendola Report) was released on 6 December 2010 alongside a short statement with the Government’s response.
It was not until early April 2011 that CCI (and other stakeholders) were invited by the Minister to provide feedback on the Government’s proposed response to the report.
CCI provided a submission in response that focuses on award rationalisation/modernisation and harmonising unfair dismissal and right of entry laws with the Fair Work Act 2009.
Click here to view the paper and click here to view the response to the submission.
IR Alerts
3 June 2011
CCI IR Alert - $19.40 or 3.4 per cent weekly minimum wage increase announced
13 July 2010
The modern award transition begins
4 June 2010
$26 weekly minimum wage increase announced - 040610
8 January 2010
What do you need to know from 1 January 2010
For more information about Industrial Relations Policy please contact Marcia Khune on (08) 9365 7699 or email marcia.khune@cciwa.com or Jonric Ridley on (08) 9365 7642 or jonric.ridley@cciwa.com.