Acting Fair Trading Minister Linda Burney is warning Blue Mountains residents to beware of bitumen bandits offering to lay asphalt on driveways, landscaping and cleaning at cheap rates.
Ms Burney said Fair Trading was investigating reports of itinerant traders attempting to scam locals at Warrimoo and Blaxland with cheap bitumen laying offers.
"The traders are currently using a flyer entitled "Emerald Asphalt & Paving" offering a large range of services including asphalting, fencing, bricklaying and landscaping services," she said.
"None of the workers hold an appropriate licence.
Ms Burney said Fair Trading has operational people in the field tracking the movements of these shonks.
"Bitumen bandits generally target older, vulnerable people in rural and regional areas and have been subject to ongoing Fair Trading investigations," she said.
Ms Burney said Fair Trading issued warnings on bitumen bandits on four occasions last year and three times this year when they appeared on the south coast, north coast and on the outskirts of south-western Sydney.
"A group was caught operating in Taree, Old Bar and Tinonee in February last year," she said.
"Three penalty notices worth $2,250 were issued."
Ms Burney said the bandits use a seemingly plausible reason to gain people's confidence and, in the worst cases, lie in wait for people to leave their homes.
"They will often say they have leftover material from a local council job or Roads and Traffic Authority job and can do a good price," she said.
"They also ask for cash in hand and are known to keep a watch on homeowners to see when they leave their property.
"When they do, the bandits will turn up with a large group and start laying bitumen without consent."
Ms Burney said bitumen bandits often attempted to bully residents into paying for substandard work.
"After completing the work, the bandits quickly leave the area and consumers are unable to contact them or obtain refunds or warranties," she said.
"I urge residents to contact Fair Trading immediately on 13 32 20 if they have been approached by bitumen bandits.
"Wherever possible, get the car rego of the bandits and any other identifying information, such as contact details, including mobile phone numbers."
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
NSW Rail workers consider pay deal
NSW 17,000 rail workers are set to sign a new employment deal after pressuring RailCorp into increasing its wage rise proposal.
Union delegates voted in favour of a new proposal on Wednesday. They will put the deal to members before it is likely to be put to a vote next month.
Under the agreement, workers would get a 4 per cent pay rise in the first year and 3.5 per cent for the next three years.
They would be free from the threat of any forced redundancies for four years and could take any future workplace dispute with RailCorp straight to the federal workplace tribunal, Fair Work Australia.
Union delegates voted in favour of a new proposal on Wednesday. They will put the deal to members before it is likely to be put to a vote next month.
Under the agreement, workers would get a 4 per cent pay rise in the first year and 3.5 per cent for the next three years.
They would be free from the threat of any forced redundancies for four years and could take any future workplace dispute with RailCorp straight to the federal workplace tribunal, Fair Work Australia.
Tasmanian Nurses: 11 days leave dispute
Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Neroli Ellis said shiftwork nurses had enjoyed the 11 1/2 days' leave in lieu of working on public holidays for 30 years.
Ms Ellis said the Government had sprung the measure on nurses as part of an appeal against a Tasmanian Industrial Commission ruling on a different matter.
Ms Ellis said the Government had brought a legal team from Melbourne and Sydney to battle against the nurses.
"The timing could not be worse as nurses are in the middle of negotiations for a new enterprise agreement," she said.
"To remove 11 days of annual leave from shift-working nurses will be the last straw for many hard-working nurses."
Ms Ellis said the Health Minister had argued that shift-workers should only have a day added to their annual leave for each public holiday falling during their annual leave.
"Nurses see this as a clear sign that the Government does not value their contribution and this will do nothing to help recruitment and retention of nurses in the Tasmanian public sector," she said.
"It is outrageous that the Government are trying to remove nurses' conditions at a time when they are stretched to the brink by the huge health demands of our ageing society."
Ms Ellis said the Government had sprung the measure on nurses as part of an appeal against a Tasmanian Industrial Commission ruling on a different matter.
Ms Ellis said the Government had brought a legal team from Melbourne and Sydney to battle against the nurses.
"The timing could not be worse as nurses are in the middle of negotiations for a new enterprise agreement," she said.
"To remove 11 days of annual leave from shift-working nurses will be the last straw for many hard-working nurses."
Ms Ellis said the Health Minister had argued that shift-workers should only have a day added to their annual leave for each public holiday falling during their annual leave.
"Nurses see this as a clear sign that the Government does not value their contribution and this will do nothing to help recruitment and retention of nurses in the Tasmanian public sector," she said.
"It is outrageous that the Government are trying to remove nurses' conditions at a time when they are stretched to the brink by the huge health demands of our ageing society."
Fair Work: Blue Mountains visit
The Fair Work Ombudsman will make educational visits to about 40 businesses in Blackheath in the Blue Mountains over the next two weeks.
Fair Work inspectors will doorknock businesses to provide information packs to employers who have entered the national workplace relations system.
This follows educational visits to businesses in Springwood and Leura earlier this year.
Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says the informal visits are aimed at assisting employers to understand changes to national workplace laws, including the introduction of the National Employment Standards and Modern Awards.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has a number of tools on its website - www.fairwork.gov.au - to assist employees and employers to check minimum rates of pay, including PayCheck and Payroll Check.
Small to medium-sized businesses without human resources staff can also ensure they are better equipped when hiring, managing and dismissing employees by using free template employment documentation with step-by-step instructions or accessing a series of Best Practice Guides.
Employers or employees seeking assistance or further information can also contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 from 8am-6pm weekdays. For translations, call 13 14 50.
Fair Work inspectors will doorknock businesses to provide information packs to employers who have entered the national workplace relations system.
This follows educational visits to businesses in Springwood and Leura earlier this year.
Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Michael Campbell says the informal visits are aimed at assisting employers to understand changes to national workplace laws, including the introduction of the National Employment Standards and Modern Awards.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has a number of tools on its website - www.fairwork.gov.au - to assist employees and employers to check minimum rates of pay, including PayCheck and Payroll Check.
Small to medium-sized businesses without human resources staff can also ensure they are better equipped when hiring, managing and dismissing employees by using free template employment documentation with step-by-step instructions or accessing a series of Best Practice Guides.
Employers or employees seeking assistance or further information can also contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 from 8am-6pm weekdays. For translations, call 13 14 50.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Britain's Tories exposed
The right wing coalition that now governs in Britain (the equivalent of an Abbott led coalition in Australia) has it's economic plans exposed by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) which revealed Chancellor George Osborne's emergency Budget will hammer the poorest families, especially those with children.
An IFS study has revealed that Mr Osborne's tax and benefit changes between June 2010 and April 2014 will see the poorest 10 per cent of families out of pocket by £422.83 per household.
This compares to the second-richest 10 per cent of families who would only find themselves £339.12 worse off, it added.
It also questioned Mr Osborne's decision to change the way benefits are increased annually - from the consumer prices index to the retail prices index - which would lead to "less generous benefits" in the coming year.
Public-sector union Unison vowed to step up its campaign to protect vital services against government cuts in the wake of the latest research and accused the coalition of declaring war on public services and its workers.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "There is no compassion in this coalition. The Chancellor's claims that his Budget was fair and progressive have been blown out of the water.
"It is a disgrace that children from low-income families are the ones paying the price for this bankers' recession."
An IFS study has revealed that Mr Osborne's tax and benefit changes between June 2010 and April 2014 will see the poorest 10 per cent of families out of pocket by £422.83 per household.
This compares to the second-richest 10 per cent of families who would only find themselves £339.12 worse off, it added.
It also questioned Mr Osborne's decision to change the way benefits are increased annually - from the consumer prices index to the retail prices index - which would lead to "less generous benefits" in the coming year.
Public-sector union Unison vowed to step up its campaign to protect vital services against government cuts in the wake of the latest research and accused the coalition of declaring war on public services and its workers.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "There is no compassion in this coalition. The Chancellor's claims that his Budget was fair and progressive have been blown out of the water.
"It is a disgrace that children from low-income families are the ones paying the price for this bankers' recession."
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