Government announces Fair Work Act reform
The Federal Government has provided further details of reforms it expects to make to the Fair Work Act in a bid to provide stability and certainty to the nation’s employers.
Federal Minister for Workplace Relations, Bill Shorten, met with employee and employer representatives late last week to outline the proposals.
Mr Shorten said the changes will complement and build upon the reforms announced last month, which he says have been designed to assist Australian families balance their work and home responsibilities.
"This package gets the balance right through a suite of reforms that will provide greater certainty for employers in key areas while protecting fairness and the right to be represented at work for employees,” Mr Shorten said.
The proposed amendments will implement a number of Review Panel recommendations to assist with bargaining for greenfields agreements, when those negotiations reach an impasse.
"We firmly believe that negotiating in good faith is the best way for parties to reach an agreement which balances the needs of the business to be competitive and productive with the entitlement for workers to receive fair, but not excessive, pay and conditions,” Mr Shorten said.
"We will be extending the principle of good faith bargaining to those parties negotiating a greenfields agreement under these reforms.”
The reforms will provide access to the Fair Work Commission to assist in the resolution of greenfields bargaining when it has reached an impasse and allow for workplace determinations to be made in limited circumstances to ensure certainty for investments.
"The Government understands the importance of continued investment in Australia and the development of future projects to Australia’s economy,” Mr Shorten said.
Mr Shorten said the reforms will also clarify the right of entry of union officials. Under the reform, union representatives may visit employers and employees during meal breaks.
"These changes will balance the need for unions to be able to represent their members and hold discussions with them in an appropriate location with the need for employers to go about their business without undue interference,” Mr Shorten said.