This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jun/19/new-building-code-faces-first-legal-challenge-over-unfair-attack-on-industry
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| New building code faces first legal challenge over 'unfair attack' on industry | New building code faces first legal challenge over 'unfair attack' on industry |
| (11 days later) | |
| The government’s new building code faces its first legal challenge, with a union-led federal court action over whether some South Australian power workers should be covered by it. | The government’s new building code faces its first legal challenge, with a union-led federal court action over whether some South Australian power workers should be covered by it. |
| Last month, the Australian Building and Construction Commission ruled that several hundred SA Power Networks workers should be covered by the building code, which affects the rights and protection of workers for companies doing federal government building work. | Last month, the Australian Building and Construction Commission ruled that several hundred SA Power Networks workers should be covered by the building code, which affects the rights and protection of workers for companies doing federal government building work. |
| On Friday, the Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union made an application to the federal court to have that decision overturned. | On Friday, the Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union made an application to the federal court to have that decision overturned. |
| The ABCC has the power to grant essential services, including electricity supply and exemptions from the building code, but has chosen not to for SA Power Networks construction and maintenance workers. | The ABCC has the power to grant essential services, including electricity supply and exemptions from the building code, but has chosen not to for SA Power Networks construction and maintenance workers. |
| SA Power Networks is the operator of the South Australian electricity distribution network. It delivers power to around 850,000 customers. | SA Power Networks is the operator of the South Australian electricity distribution network. It delivers power to around 850,000 customers. |
| The Australian Building and Construction Commission was first implemented as the “construction watchdog” by the Howard government, before being disbanded under Julia Gillard’s prime ministership, replaced with Fair Work Building and Construction. | The Australian Building and Construction Commission was first implemented as the “construction watchdog” by the Howard government, before being disbanded under Julia Gillard’s prime ministership, replaced with Fair Work Building and Construction. |
| The ABCC – having been one of prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s triggers for a double dissolution election – was re-animated after a close vote in the Senate approved its reconstitution. | The ABCC – having been one of prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s triggers for a double dissolution election – was re-animated after a close vote in the Senate approved its reconstitution. |
| Part of the legislation to reintroduce the ABCC included a new building code which required all companies doing construction or related work for the commonwealth to follow the code’s policies on trade unionism in enterprise bargaining agreements. | Part of the legislation to reintroduce the ABCC included a new building code which required all companies doing construction or related work for the commonwealth to follow the code’s policies on trade unionism in enterprise bargaining agreements. |
| The ABCC wrote to SA Power Networks last month saying workers in their construction and maintenance division would not be granted an exemption, and must be covered by the code. | The ABCC wrote to SA Power Networks last month saying workers in their construction and maintenance division would not be granted an exemption, and must be covered by the code. |
| The division includes workers who lay National Broadband Network (NBN) cabling, install residential electricity networks, and build sub-stations and high voltage transmission lines. | The division includes workers who lay National Broadband Network (NBN) cabling, install residential electricity networks, and build sub-stations and high voltage transmission lines. |
| The union argues the move is an unfair attack on an industry the building code was never designed for and one where there have been no allegations of industrial disquiet or illegal workplace activities. | The union argues the move is an unfair attack on an industry the building code was never designed for and one where there have been no allegations of industrial disquiet or illegal workplace activities. |
| It says the ABCC decision will create a “two-tier” employment situation within SA Power Networks, with some workers enjoying greater protections than others. | It says the ABCC decision will create a “two-tier” employment situation within SA Power Networks, with some workers enjoying greater protections than others. |
| The Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union national president Allen Hicks wrote to SA Power Networks saying the commission appears to “fundamentally misunderstand” the nature of the work performed by the workers in question, and that they clearly carry out essential services. | The Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union national president Allen Hicks wrote to SA Power Networks saying the commission appears to “fundamentally misunderstand” the nature of the work performed by the workers in question, and that they clearly carry out essential services. |
| “The impact of the Commissioner’s decision cannot be understated. The code is an instrument which, fundamentally, is not designed for the electricity industry. It strips away fundamental employment protections for ... workers and imposes unnecessary and unwieldy obligations that jeopardise the long-standing industrial harmony that our two organisations have enjoyed.” | “The impact of the Commissioner’s decision cannot be understated. The code is an instrument which, fundamentally, is not designed for the electricity industry. It strips away fundamental employment protections for ... workers and imposes unnecessary and unwieldy obligations that jeopardise the long-standing industrial harmony that our two organisations have enjoyed.” |
| Industrial relations | Industrial relations |
| South Australia | South Australia |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| Malcolm Turnbull | Malcolm Turnbull |
| John Howard | John Howard |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |