TASMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION

Industrial Relations Act 1984
s.23 application to vary an award

Federated Furnishing Trades Society of Australasia
Tasmanian Branch
(T.Nos. 3434, 3432 and 3383 of 1991)

Federated Clerks Union of Australia
Tasmania Branch
(T.3340 of 1991)

FURNISHING TRADES AWARD

Wage rates - work related allowances - State Wage Case August 1991 - 2.5% increase - Increase to superannuation contribution - apprenticeship levy

REASONS FOR DECISION

These applications were made for the purpose of varying the Furnishing Trades Award in the following manner.

1. Amend Clause 9A - Apprentices, subclause (d) to increase the quantum of reimbursement to the employee for school class fees and levies and that reimbursement be on a pro-rata basis at the end of each block release period.

2. Increase the amount of superannuation contributions paid by the employer on behalf of employees in keeping with the Wage Fixing Principles.

3. Minimum rates adjustment.

4. 2.5% increase in all wage rates and work related allowances arising out of the State Wage Case decision of 13 August 1991.

The application dealing with the minimum rates adjustment was adjourned until 25 November 1991 to enable the parties extra time to put the finishing touches to broadbanding proposals. It must be said that significant progress has been made to finalise all the issues associated with this application.

All other matters before the Commission were presented as an agreed position and I have examined the submissions to establish whether or not the applications conform with the Wage Fixing Principles. The award has been adjusted to reflect the second structural efficiency increase and to that extent it could be said that the parties have substantially implemented the structural efficiency principle. However, there are still some matters to be completed and the bulk of the outstanding issues will come to fruition on the completion of the minimum rates adjustments.

Submissions were presented on each of the matters contained in the structural efficiency principles and the parties sought to include in the award a provision to enable the employer to direct employees to carry out such duties as are within the limits of the employees skill, competence and training.

I am satisfied that all the matters before me fall within the wage fixing principles and do no harm to the public interest requirements of the Act.

Accordingly, the award will be varied in the manner sought. The operative date of these variations will be that agreed to by the parties, i.e. the first full pay period to commence on or after 14 October 1991.

The Orders giving effect to this decision are attached.

R J Watling
COMMISSIONER

Appearances:
Mr R Orange for the Federated Furnishing Trades Society of Australasia, Tasmanian Branch.
Mrs H Dowd for the Federated Clerks Union of Australia, Tasmania Branch.
Mr T Edwards for the Tasmanian Confederation of Industries.

Date and place of hearing:
1991
October 14
Hobart