Don't take away office worker penalty rates say ASU members

Today in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) the ASU has defended long held penalty rates and loadings of private sector office workers across the country.

As part of the Rudd Government's award modernisation process, the AIRC is conducting consultations about their proposals for a new Australia wide "Clerks - Private Sector Award 2010".

The first draft Award, which was released in September 2008, cuts a number of hard won conditions.

In particular the new draft award takes away overtime and penalty rates for work on Saturday mornings (from 7:00am - 12:30pm).

In every State and Territory, except Victoria, our existing Clerical Awards provide for penalty rates and/or overtime to be paid for anyone working during these times. Penalty rates and overtime range between an additional 25-100% pay on top of the usual ordinary rates. Penalties and overtime are supposed to compensate for the family and leisure time that people miss.

In a number of States office workers can only work Saturdays by agreement between the employer and the employee. Not surprisingly statistics show the vast majority of office workers value their weekends and do not agree to work.

The AIRC is proposing to take all these safeguards away so that employers can make people work on Saturdays.

This proposal is a significant shift from what exists now and office workers, who are mostly women, will be disadvantaged. We have told the AIRC this cannot be what the Federal Government intended.

The ASU has clearly said that our safety net award should not be cut now or in the future.

Don't change ordinary hours

The AIRC's "Draft Clerks - Private Sector Award 2010" also proposes to change the Monday to Friday ordinary hours. The new proposed spread of hours is 7am - 7pm, longer than in all states except NSW and WA, and different to the current provisions that operate in the majority of States.

This can mean employees can finish later without the overtime rates that were previously payable!

There are also serious issues for those workers who do shift work, like 24 hour call centre workers, as the proposals will affect the timing and payment of shift penalties.

There are no gains here for anyone but employers.

Office workers voice their concern

During October 2008 we conducted a nation wide survey about the proposed changes to Saturday morning work (see our previous article "Office employees' working hours under threat").

435 respondents took the time to tell us their views about these changes. We have tabled a summary of the survey results in the AIRC today. It is important that the AIRC members who decide what the new Award will look like hear from REAL people who will be adversely affected.

Overwhelmingly respondents expressed negative views about the impact of Saturday work. Many cited family commitments, volunteering, household tasks, hobbies and general life issues as reasons why they opposed being forced to work on Saturdays.

Check out a snapshot of members' view in our survey summary which can be downloaded below.

• 95.5% of respondents thought employer arguments about Saturday work being penalty and loading free were unfair
   
  
• 50% of private sector respondents believed that their employer would make them work on Saturdays if there were no loadings or penalties. Others thought their work was Monday-Friday and would not change - we hope they are right - but we are not so certain.

The survey results have been tabled during our submissions at the Commission. We are urging the AIRC to reverse their proposals on Saturday mornings because of the devastating likely effects.

Want to know more?

You can check out the full ASU Survey results and also our written submission - both can be downloaded below.

"Award modernisation" is not just about drafting clauses nor is it some academic exercise - this is the safety net which determines what real people will be paid, how they will pay their mortgages and feed their families and live their lives.

As the office workers union, the ASU will not sit back and watch hard won conditions be taken away.

We expect the AIRC to release it final draft Clerks Award in December 2008. Watch out for more updates and actions you can take to maintain the standards office workers deserve.

Joint statement by ASU and supporters

Today, the ASU and supporters also published a joint statement in The Age (page 5) and The Australian (page 5) that relates to our concerns about what is happening to awards.

You can read about the statement here: "There's nothing modern about downsizing women's awards"

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