Master Electricians shares industry concern over poor workplace agreement
During July Master Electricians Australia threw its support behind a Fair Work Australia appeal against the ADJ Contracting collective agreement negotiated between the Electrical Services Union and the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA).
At the time, Master Electricians Australia warned the agreement would set a precedent that would drive up costs in the construction, mining and civil engineering sectors, because of three dangerous clauses.
These are:
- Clause 4.3(b)iii which requires employers to inform unions about the industrial arrangements pertaining to sub-contractors or labour hire employees;
- Clause 15.2(k) which gives unions unfettered rights of entry to work sites; and
- Clause 16.6(b) which requires employers to actively promote union membership.
“Taken together, these three clauses represent a significant power shift back towards the bad old days when union officials effectively controlled access to a construction site,” Master Electricians Australia said at the time.
Today these concerns have been vindicated in an article by industrial relations consultant and author Grace Collier, who said “some employer groups are letting their members and the country down”.
“Shamefully, the reasons why are nothing to do with legislation and all to do with the symbiosis between them and the unions.”
Ms Collier said in negotiating with the ETU, NECA had ignored “the many mechanisms in the legislation” designed to help and protect employers.
“The agreement was approved and it was left to the Australian Industry Group to appeal against the approval in front of the entire full bench. At the appeal hearing, NECA didn’t even turn up.”
The full article is available here.
Master Electricians Australia backed the appeal in July because it was concerned about the extraordinary amount of power the agreement handed to unions.
“They reduce the control business owners have over their own affairs, and significantly increase administration costs due to the amount of time needed for extra checks into the backgrounds of sub-contractors and labour-hire firms and reporting back to unions on those arrangements,” Master Electricians Australia said at the time.
“It will also limit free market competition in the affected sectors because all suppliers will be required to work at the same rate under a “no ticket no start” mentality.
“We are seeing more and more of these arrangements coming through the IR system, and they are causing deep concern among other employers.
“In order to maintain and create jobs, businesses need flexible workplace arrangements and the freedom to operate without having to report to union bosses.
“At a time when the construction industry is already struggling, this will add additional cost to projects and further reduce the viability of businesses in the sector.”
