Carr Establishes Labor Hire Inquiry

Date: 16 June 2000

The Carr Government has commissioned a landmark inquiry into the labour hire industry, opening the prospect of increased regulation of this growing slice of the employment market.

The inquiry was requested by both unions and key industry operators to address concerns that rogue agencies were driving wages and conditions down.

NSW Industrial Relations Minister Jeff Shaw today announced the terms of reference of the taskforce will examine:
· the employment relationship between workers, labour hire companies and host employers in different Australian jurisdictions and whether NSW legislation should be clarified or varied
· consider OHS obligations and whether legislation should be clarified or varied

"The taskforce will look at industrial instruments with regard to labour hire and ensure the rights and obligations of employers and workers in labour hire are commensurate with those in other employment relationships in NSW," Shaw says.

Arising out of the terms of reference, Shaw says the taskforce will:
- examine the desirability of facilitating industrial instruments specifically for the labour hire industry, or of applying the prevailing conditions of the host employer to labour hire workers; and
- consider options to ensure the rights of workers on the labour hire firm and woirkers employed by the host company to organize and bargain collectively.

He says any recommendations will need to demonstrate that they will not unduly impose regulatory burdens on business that adversely affects employment.

Shaw says labour hire is a growing phenomenon and we need to adjust to changing workplaces. Over two per cent of NSW workplaces use labour hire and in industries such as finance and insurance the figure is over 50 per cent.

"We have been asked by both employer and employee groups, particularly the major labour hire firms, to clarify issues such as the employer/employee status and occupational health and safety responsibilities relating to labour hire," Shaw says.

NSW Labor Council secretary Michael Costa and four other union representatives have been invited to sit on the Taskforce. They will be: Annie Owens (LHMU), Andrew Ferguson (CFMEU), Russ Collison (AWU) and Bernie Roirdan (ETU).

The taskforce findings are due in October.

For further information

Contact:	Peter Lewis
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
WWW:	http://workers.labor.net.au/

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