ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said the new Implementation Guidelines released by Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard would restore the national construction code to its original purpose of encouraging ethical tendering practices.
"Procurement policies such as the National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry should be consistent with the Government’s other policy objectives.
"With the demise of WorkChoices and beginning of the new ‘Fair Work’ industrial relations laws on 1 July, the guidelines were totally out of kilter with Government policy and effectively obsolete.
"Under the Howard Government, procurement in construction became another arm of WorkChoices. The revised code brings it into alignment with the new IR laws."
ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said the new guidelines are timely considering Federal and State Governments plan to spend billions of dollars over the next few years on major infrastructure projects around the nation.
"The building and construction industry employs about 900,000 hard-working Australians and will play a key role in Australia’s economic recovery," Mr Lawrence said.
"Unions particularly welcome the new emphasis on the employment and training of apprentices in the revised guidelines.
"The revised guidelines seek to encourage more employment of young people in one of the nation’s most important industries.
"The support for more apprentices in the industry is a positive example of how Government purchasing can be used to secure objectives for maximum community benefit."
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