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 Home WA Branch Industry Groups
SHEARING INDUSTRYJOHN SAUNDERS
Mobile No: 0417 006 100 REMINDER ON Q FEVER VACCINATIONS Workers in the livestock industry and other occupations that involve handling animals have been reminded that they may need to be vaccinated against the potentially deadly disease Q Fever. All workers in high-risk industries need to be screened, and must be vaccinated if they are not immune to the disease. WorkSafe WA Commissioner Nina Lyhne said today that a number of Q Fever infections had recently been reported, and a reminder was required. "There have recently been reports of Q Fever infections in abattoir workers, dairy farmers and shearing contractors, and WorkSafe inspectors will be conducting compliance checks in the high-risk industries," Ms Lyhne said.Q Fever is a zoonosis (a disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans) that can lead to hospitalisation and even death. The employees most at risk are abattoir workers, farmers, shearers, tanners and stock transport workers, as well as veterinarians and zoo employees. The disease is most frequently transmitted via inhalation of airborne bacteria and - less commonly - through direct contact with infected animals and materials. Symptoms can appear similar to the flu, including high fever, profuse sweating, extreme fatigue and muscle and joint pain. A percentage of cases lead to the highly incapacitating post-Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome, which has been known to last for several years. The screening process and vaccine are readily available from specifically trained medical practitioners, listed on the Australian Q Fever Register website at www.qfever.org. At-risk workers are provided with a zoonosis card that should be carried to prove either that they have been vaccinated or are immune to Q Fever. "Employers have a duty of care under the occupational safety and health legislation to provide employees with a safe working environment," Ms Lyhne said. "This includes protecting employees from potentially deadly diseases by ensuring vaccination is carried out if appropriate and ensuring that a Q Fever card is provided to employees. "WorkSafe inspectors in regional areas will soon be conducting an inspection project to check that employees in high-risk areas such as abattoirs, shearers, livestock transporters and pastoral station workers have been screened. "Q Fever can kill, so I urge both employers and employees in high risk industries to ensure all at-risk workers are screened for immunity and vaccinated if not immune."Further information on Q Fever and other zoonoses can be obtained by telephoning WorkSafe on 9328 8777, or on the website at www.safetyline.wa.gov.au.
How John Howard's Industrial Relations Laws Will Affect Australian Pastoral WorkersOn 26 May in Parliament, John Howard announced his government's proposed changes to Australia's industrial relations laws.These changes are far worse than anticipated with millions of Australian workers set to lose their access to award conditions, protections from unfair dismissal and an effective safety net of minimum wages as a result of the changes. For pastoral workers reliant on the wages and conditions contained in the Pastoral Industry Award, the changes will be catastrophic. Abolishing the role of the Federal Commission The Government will abolish the role of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) in setting minimum award wages and will establish a new "Fair Pay Commission" to set a single adult minimum wage on a "periodic" basis. The so-called "Fair Pay Commission" will be stacked by government appointed economists to determine wage increases from time to time. No idea as to how often it will meet. No detail as to how it will decide. No guarantee of a wage increase in the end. As pastoral workers know, minimum wage increases in the shearing industry are determined yearly by the AWU in line with outcomes from cases run by the Australian Council of Trade Unions before the AIRC. With this facility gone, guaranteed yearly wage increases through a government-appointed board appear increasingly unlikely. For instance, the National Farmer's Federation will now only have to oppose any wage increases on the basis of poor wool prices or drought. This means hitting you and other hard working Australians reliant on an effective award safety net where it hurts most - in the hip pocket! Award Stripping The Government will establish a new Task Group to strip awards, including the Pastoral Industry Award, by removing provisions relating to jury service, notice of termination, long service leave and superannuation. Classification structures in the Pastoral Industry Award will also be stripped away, affecting farmhands, Woolclassers and the proposed new classification structure for shedhands. This also means that the long-standing Pastoral Industry Award wages formula will no longer be relevant. Arbitration Powers Taken Away As well as abolishing the vast majority of state awards and stripping all federal awards, the government will further limit the role of Australia's independent umpire, the AIRC, by leaving it to deal only with the resolution of "legitimate disputes" and further simplification of awards. The AIRC will have no role in setting wages or agreement making. By removing the independent umpire, pastoral workers will either have to negotiate on their own or act collectively to secure the best possible rates of pay and conditions. Abolishing the No Disadvantage Test Awards, such as the Pastoral Industry Award, will no longer form the basis of the no disadvantage test, making it easier for employers in the pastoral industry to force employees onto substandard agreements. The new test will be limited to 5 legislated minimum conditions:- This will enable employers to use agreements to undermine award-based employment conditions such as penalty rates, long service leave, redundancy entitlements, casual loadings and work-related allowances - JUST ABOUT EVERY AWARD CONDITION! And when the changes are made after July 1, pastoral workers may be required to commence and finish work at any time of the day or night, 7 days per week. No Scrutiny of Agreement Making Not only will standards be lowered, collective agreements and individual contracts (AWA's) will be approved and have legal effect on and from lodgement with the Office of Employment Advocate without even being perused. The federal government intends to make the approval of substandard contracts and agreements a rubber-stamping exercise so that it is easier for pastoral industry employers to slash wages and conditions. Other Changes The Government confirmed its commitment to legislate for a number of changes aimed at making it more difficult for employees to negotiate collectively. These include laws about:- Government Creates Bleak Future for Australian Pastoral Workers This is a bleak outlook for Australian pastoral workers and their families. These changes will make our society more like the United States where millions of working poor struggle on low wages in jobs without hope. The AWU, and other Australian unions, will fight these changes with determination and discipline. We did it before in the 1890's, and we can do it again. But we need your help. ACT NOW AND JOIN THE FIGHT! Now is the time for every AWU member in the pastoral industry to get involved and sink John Howard's plans. Here's how:-
In a landmark victory the Australian Workers' Union won a 25% casual loading in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) for more than four thousand shearers across Australia. All shearers are casual workers so this increase benefits every shearer in Australia. This victory has delivered shearers pay increases totalling $44 a week. This pay increase is the highest delivered to Australian shearers in more than a decade. This pay increase took effect from 31st October 2003 for shearers, wool handlers and shearing cooks. All other workers will not receive the full 25% until 31st October 2004. This 25% casual loading was opposed by the West Australian Farmers' Federation Industrial Association. Therefore, it was up to the Australian Workers' Union to defend the rights of shearers and to fight in favour of the 25% casual loading. A costly and long battle was waged in the AIRC. AWU v NFF The Australian Workers' Union has recently gone head-to-head with the National Farmers' Federation in order to fight for shearers to receive the $17 per week pay increase handed down in the 2003 National Safety Net decision. The AWU opposed the NFF application in the AIRC to reduce wages in the pastoral industry. As a result, the NFF only obtained a limited right to reduce wages for some occupations. Under the Commission's ruling farmers receiving Exceptional Circumstances payments can apply to the Commission to not pay the $17 per week increase until 1 August 2004. However, the AWU is allowed to oppose any such applications by farmers and represent workers that are affected. Since the Commission's decision the AWU has represented workers affected in two farms and the NFF has since withdrawn both applications. Once again, the AWU steps in to protect shearers' wages, rights and conditions! UPDATE Negotiations for the pastoral industry award. The AWU is currently negotiating improvements to the award for the pastoral industry with the National Farmers' Federation (NFF). The key aspects of the AWU's claims are: The AWU Pastoral Industry Team met with the NFF on the 6th April 2004 in Victoria to discuss the AWU's claims. Disappointingly, the NFF is currently refusing to agree to any of the AWU's claims. This means that the AWU will take these claims to the AIRC for arbitration later this year. Information on joining the AWU! The AWU works to improve our members' wages, conditions and entitlements. The AWU does this in many ways: Workers get many benefits by joining the AWU. For example: All union dues are tax-deductible, so keep receipts or proof of payment of payment of union dues. You can pay your union dues by payroll deduction, credit card, cheque or via a money order. To find out more about the AWU and its work in representing our members in the pastoral industry, please ring the national office or your local branch. They can answer all your questions and send you out a membership form so that you can join the AWU & access all the benefits that being a member provides. AWU WA finalises and registers new common rule Shearing Award14 May 2004 The state branch of the AWU has finalised and had registered in the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission a new common rule Shearing Award.This new award applies to all shearing contractors in WA; it reflects the wages and conditions in the federal Pastoral Industry Award. The difference between this and the federal award is that the new award applies to all contractors, whether they are a named party or not and whether they are a member of the WA Shearing Contractors Association or not. There are some issues such as travel and training that the union has sought and gained," liberty to apply", on in the award. This means that the union can continue negotiations with the Shearing Contractors Association and subsequently amend the award. If you are a member of the AWU and contact our office you may be provided with a copy of the award. If you have any questions about the new award please contact the AWU Office on 9221 1686.
The new award rates of pay (effective 31 October 2003)
There are many breaches of award provisions--from stud rates for shearers to shedhands, pressers and classers being paid down to the minute shearers finish the shed, etc. If you find yourself in this category then the farmer or contractor is in breach of the award. If this is happening to you then you must please contact us. It is against the law for contractors to be charging anybody to be taken to work. We know this practice is going on and it is even more deplorable when charging shed staff. THE SHEARING OF RAMS For quite some time now I've come to the realisation that we shearers shearing rams is an act of charity for the farmer. Take this as an example - Today when I was shearing 70 a run in ewes. The farmer brings in rams in the morning for when we cut out the ewes. As it turned out we had to do half and half on rams at the end of the day. In half an hour I'm averaging 17 -18 ewes. I sheared 5 rams which works out to 10 sheep. That is a drop of 7 - 8 sheep in ½ hour plus it is harder on the body. That is 14 - 15 dollars in ½ hour. Already a loss and more risk of work injuries and compensation claims. To top it off I broke a comb on the last ram (cost $36). So far I'm out of pocket around $50 and that is just in a period of 30 minutes. To make matters worse I asked the farmer to drag a ram for me and his response was a laugh in the face and the comment "Did you wake up this morning? That door you came in you can go out the same one if you don't want to shear them."Well, I didn't want to shear them but I'm not going to leave my workmates to do them on their own am I? The cheeky bastard! I know the contractors' hands are tied and all shearers have the same complaint but no one knows what we can do about it. I trust you will work on this issue for us. Other Issues I used to encourage and teach young blokes to shear now I have come to the stage where I'm discouraged because the job has become just too hard. We need to receive some encouragement from the farmers and contractors to be professional at what we do. The sheep are getting harder to shear due to the breeds and their size. Don't mind this is all to the farmers' and the Australian Wool Industry's benefit. But we shearers should not be forgotten here - we should be aided and encouraged to do a good professional job. |
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| © 2003 Australian Workers Union WA Branch PO Box 8122, Perth Business Centre, WA 6849 Tel: (08) 9221 1686 Fax: (08) 9221 1706 URL: http://www.awuwa.asn.au/ Last modified: Friday, 12-Jan-2007 14:09:24 EST |
