print this pageQTU seeks assurances from the QIRC
The QTU, along with other public sector unions, has successfully argued in the QIRC that education awards should not be “modernised’ until the second half of 2014.
While the QTU is not a party to any of the awards currently undergoing modernisation, the Union recently made a submission by letter to the QIRC noting that there are a number of potential general issues which arise in relation to the modernisation of these awards (in particular the proposed Queensland Public Service Officers Award State, 2014) that will have potential implications for awards to be modernised subsequently.
Among the issues were:
- how legislation should be referenced
- how a number of key terms in the Industrial Relations Act should be defined – i.e. “policy”, “incidental provision”, “training arrangement”, “personal leave”, and “ resource allocation provision”
- how public service directives are treated
- whether the prescribed provisions relating to consultation and dispute resolution can be supplemented with additional provisions
- what does and does not constitute “non-allowable content”.
The QTU has sought assurances from the QIRC that where matters arising in the context of the awards currently being modernised have the potential to affect subsequent award modernisation, the parties to the latter awards be given a fair opportunity to make representations.
John McCollow
Industrial Services Officer
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 119 No 4, 23 May 2014, p11
