ARTICLE · 15 DECEMBER 2008

New Bargaining Rights For Employees In Low-Paid Industries

Norton Rose Fulbright Australia

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Does your business operate in the child care, aged care, community services, security, or cleaning industry? If it does, then as part of the changes contained in the Fair Work Bill introduced into parliament on 25 November 2008, chances are you may be forced to bargain collectively with not just your own employees but also unions...

AustraliaEmployment and HR

David Natenzon

Stuart Kollmorgen (Formerly With Norton Rose Fulbright Australia)

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Does your business operate in the child care, aged care, community services, security, or cleaning industry?

If it does, then as part of the changes contained in the Fair Work Bill introduced into parliament on 25 November 2008, chances are you may be forced to bargain collectively with not just your own employees but also unions representing employees of other businesses within your industry as part of Labor's overhaul of the Howard Government's WorkChoices legislation.

To make matters worse, if you are unable to reach an agreement after being required to meet the ALP's new good faith bargaining obligations, the employees that you were bargaining with will be able to have their wage claims arbitrated by the new industrial umpire, Fair Work Australia.

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