T2244 and T2245
IN THE TASMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION Industrial Relations Act 1984
These applications, which were joined at the commencement of the hearing, were for "trainee ships" provisions to be put into the Wholesale Trades Award and the Fuel Merchants Award respectively. A "traineeship", according to the definition proposed, means a system under the Australian Traineeship Scheme comprising structured, on-the-job training with an employer and off-the-job training in a Technical and Further Education College or other training approved by the Training Authority of Tasmania: this is a reasonable explanation. The system is aimed at providing young people, who would not otherwise have the opportunity, with access to some basic work training at the commencement of their working career. Mr A Grubb, appearing for the Federated Clerks Union of Australia, Tasmanian Branch, in the first instance sought and was granted leave to submit an amended draft of the provisions sought. He said that they had been agreed between the parties. Mr Clues, appearing for the Tasmanian Confederation of Industries confirmed that organisation's agreement to the proposed amendments to the two awards. He also said that the proposals were not against the public interest (Section 36 of the Act) and he pointed out that the system proposed was principally aimed at training not just at employment. It was agreed between the parties that the operative date for the amendments sought be the first full pay period commencing on or after 15 March 1990. For all practical purposes the terms of the award amendments sought are the same as some traineeships provisions latterly put into some other awards of this Commission (for example, the Plumbers Award), but not quite the same as some earlier amendments which included traineeships provisions. I confirm that I prefer the later amendments because they are better placed in the Awards and they are more specific in their prescriptions which only makes them less confusing and easier to implement and abide by. As indicated at the end of the hearing I endorse both applications and the awards will be amended, operative from the first full pay period commencing on or after 15 March 1990. Orders reflecting this decision will be issued in due course.
P A Imlach
|