Sunday, April 20, 2008

Flexibility - not bending over backwards

The AMWU is pushing for safeguards for workers so that they are not disadvantaged by flexibility clauses in employment agreements.

AMWU National President Julius Roe said that flexibility clauses should not be allowed to ride roughshod over Award conditions.

“We don’t want a situation where workers are worse off than what they would be under an AWA. And if you had a flexibility clause that says you can agree to change anything in the award, that would be worse than an AWA.”

Mr Roe said there are some things that employers should not be able to change by individual agreement.

“Working hours and overtime are issues that shouldn’t be up for grabs. It’s easy to imagine a situation where a boss could find a vulnerable worker who will agree to work on Saturday.

“If none of the other workers want to work on Saturday, that flexibility disadvantages them because it undermines the collective view.”

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