Defending shearers work rights

Date: 04 September 2008

Shearers across rural Australia need to be aware that the farmers' lobby is pushing for significant changes to their working conditions, under the guise of modernising their Award.

" The National Farmers Federation are circulating a wish-list which they will put before the Industrial Relations Commission in October to wind back some cherished conditions," AWU National Secretary, Paul Howes, said.

"I've got our shearing industry organisers talking to union members and circulating information to all rural workers to ensure that by the time we appear in the Commission we have a good case to defend our members' rights.

" Shearers need to meet now, and contact their local union office to find out if a town meeting is to be called, if they don't want to lose long cherished work rights," Paul Howes said.

• Join the AWU today - Support work rights for shearers and other rural workers

" Over the next couple of months, the AWU will be meeting with key players in the Pastoral Industry and negotiating positions that promote the needs of our members. The AWU will then make submissions to the AIRC on the content of the modern Pastoral Industry awards.

Put plainly if the NFF gets its way for these new Awards:

• Shearers will no longer have a start time or a knock off time, there will be no provision for smokos and no lunch time breaks and gone will be the two hour runs.

• Monday to Friday will be history and working at night will be permitted.

• Shearers will not be able to refuse to shear wet sheep and no vote will be allowed.

• Shearers will no longer be able to refuse to shear sheep straight out of the grass and water, nor will they be able to refuse to shear sheep which are cancerous, have scabby mouth, or any other disease which may be communicable to humans.

• Employers will be able to charge what they like for mess

• Most if not all of your current allowances will disappear. The breakdown allowance will be gone as will waiting time.

• Where sleeping quarters are not provided no longer will you be paid an allowance. It is most likely that all travel allowances will be excluded from a modern Award.

• Shed hands will be paid by the hour and not the run, nor will they get a minimum of four hours if cutting out before lunch or will they get a full days pay if work goes beyond lunch.

For further information

Contact:	Paul Howes, National Secretary
Union:	AWU
WWW:	http://awu.net.au/

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