Morrison slammed for backing failed bid to cut sick leave
21 August 2019
ACTU

     Morrison slammed for backing failed bid to cut sick leave

The peak body for working people has slammed the Morrison Government’s intervention in a failed case that could have seen sick and personal leave rights cut for thousands of people working shifts.

The case between Cadbury owner Mondelez, backed by a Federal Government intervention in the case, and people working at its Tasmanian chocolate factory set important precedent protecting sick leave for shiftworkers.

Mondelez had unsuccessfully argued in the Fair Work Commission for a reduced entitlement for the sick days of people working shift work for the company, saying that because they worked 12-hour days they should be entitled to fewer sick days than the National Employment Standards in the Fair Work Act require.

The company brought a case against two individual workers and their union – the AMWU – in the Federal Court in February this year.

The Morrison Government intervened in the court case – on the side of the company.

After a difficult and lengthy court process in which the workers at Cadbury fought not only their multi-national employer and powerful industry lobbies, but their own national government, they have emerged victorious.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

“The fact that the Morrison Government would intervene on the side of a company that is trying to cut people’s personal leave below the legal minimum is a disgrace.

“If Mondelez and the Federal Government had been successful in their case it would have undermined a basic workplace right for thousands of shiftworkers.

“Working people deserve a Government that is on their side – not one that sides with big business to undermine basic rights like sick leave.

“The Prime Minister needs to explain why his government intervened to support an attack by a multi-national company on the rights of Australian workers.

“And he needs to ensure that neither he nor his Ministers will use taxpayer money to try to cut basic employment standards again.

Geez why is he trying to set us back at least 100 years?

Spot

stunspore wrote on Aug 24^th, 2019 at 1:01pm:


Back to The Good Old Days of Sons and Lovers - you know - that thing where the miner father steadily eroded in his ability to earn through mining piecework, and was steadily eroded in his position in family, until mother was the dominating force and he was a useful adjunct only?

Note how such fanfare is made of dear old mother in that - and how it so closely relates to modern times and governing social principles.  Very prescient that novel - and often quite misunderstood in its impact.

Anyway - the basis that companies all feel that piecework is the only way forward, and damn the workers, is what is behind this kind of putsch.

Country lacks a good old management massacre by a disgruntled employee.... one such and the entire industrial relations world will change for the better ....

On another parallel - this kind of man agement couldn't do better if they were Central American etc dictators...

Bam wrote on Aug 25^th, 2019 at 1:25pm:

The problem today is a majority of the working class electorate suffer from the deluision they’re middle class. Having scrimped and saved to put their darlings through a worthless university degree, rather than an honest trade, they refuse to admit they’ve wandered onto the wrong side of the track.

Bam wrote on Aug 25^th, 2019 at 1:25pm:


As in the past the next govt won't give them back either

Spot

Too right even if you are actually sick.

Gweggy fondly remembers his many "sickies".