By Mike Fitz Gerald on March 1, 2011
The Western Australian Branch of the Australian Services Union (“the Union”) has lodged an application in the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission for a new state Award to cover administration staff in Local Government in WA.
As we have previously advised, the Local Government Officers’ (WA) Award 1999 is a federal transitional Award that will cease to have any force or effect as from 26 March 2011. The effect of this proposed new Award, the subject of the application, will be to displace the Local Government Officers’ (WA) Award 1999 in respect to those Shires are not trading corporations (Constitutional Corporations). Continue reading “Australian Services Union Seeks New State Award for Local Government Administration Staff”
Posted in Country Shire Councils, New State Award |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on November 2, 2010
The following is an executive summary of the changes that you need to be aware of under the Fair Work Act 2009.
What you need to know after 1 July 2009.
From July 1, 2009, Fair Work Australia (FWA) took over from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) as the employment law watchdog with certain powers to regulate the relationships between employers and employees. Continue reading “THE FAIR WORK ACT 2009 – WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR EMPLOYERS“
Posted in Fair Work Act, Legislation, Trouble(shoot) Empoyees | Tagged Fair Work Act, Modern Award, National System Employers |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on October 4, 2010
On Monday 4 October 2010, Vice President Lawler of Fair Work Australia issued two Orders in response to the Unions’ claims for increases to wages and allowances in the Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999 and the Local Government Officers’ (WA) Award 1999. The Order is effective from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 4 October 2010 and gives effect to the $26.00 per week increase that was handed down by Fair Work Australia earlier this year. A new Awards Disk is currently being prepared and will be mailed out to all clients within the next 36 hours. For those clients who wish to view the new rates and allowances immediately, we have attached both Orders to the bottom of this post.
Check the new wages and allowances for the Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999 by clicking on the following link:
Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999 Wages and Allowances
Check the new salaries and allowances for the Local Government Officers’ (WA) Award 1999 by clicking on the following link:
Local Government Officers (WA) Award 1999 Salaries and Allowances
Posted in Award Interpretations, Employee Benefits, Fair Work Act | Tagged $26.00 wage increase, Fair Work Australia, Wages and Allowances |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 24, 2010
On Monday 20 September 2010 the Western Australian Municipal, Road Boards, Parks and Racecourse Employees’ Union of Workers Perth (“the Union”) lodged an historic application in the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission for a new state Award to cover outside employees in Local Government in WA. The Union in this application is the state counterpart to the Union that was previously known as the Municipal Employees Union (“MEU”), and Andrew Johnson is the State Secretary of this Union.
As we have previously advised, the Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999 is a federal transitional Award that will cease to have any force or effect as from 26 March 2011. The effect of this proposed new Award, the subject of the application, will be to displace the Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999 in respect to those Shires that agree to become respondents to the new state Award. Continue reading “Union Seeks New Award for Outside Employees in WA Local Government.”
Posted in Country Shire Councils, Fair Work Act, New State Award | Tagged New State Award, Outside Employees |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 23, 2010
For those of you that have some spare time to read I believe that this is a ripping yarn! Continue reading ““The Walrus & the Carpenter” by Lewis Carrol”
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Poetry, Relaxation |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 22, 2010
The following is an extract from a letter sent by Fitz Gerald Strategies to all Country Shire Councils in WA on 23 September 2010 in relation to a landmark decision of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission (WAIRC), which registered a state enterprise bargaining agreement between the Shire of Bridgetown and the Union. The decision vindicates the advice that has consistently been given to Local Governments in WA by Fitz Gerald Strategies on the issue of whether Local Governments in WA are trading corporations and as such covered by the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Local Government Industry Award 2010. Please take the time to read the text of the letter below. Continue reading “Landmark Decision for Local Government in WA Industrial Relations Commsision”
Posted in Country Shire Councils, Enterprise Bargaining, Fair Work Act | Tagged Country Shire Councils, Fair Work Act, Landmark Decision, Local Government, Local Government Industry Award, Long Service Leave, National System Employers, State Registered Agreement |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 22, 2010
Local governments in Western Australia have an obligation placed on them to contribute to the cost of an ex-employee’s long service leave entitlement in accordance with a formula set out in sub regulation 9 of the Local Government (Long Service Leave) Regulations. We have developed a spreadsheet calculator to assist payroll officers and staff to work out a Local Government’s contribution to this cost.
To access this calculator, please click on the link below and the calculator will download to your desktop into your default spreadsheet software. Then simply enter the appropriate information into the cells as required and pronto, you have your contribution calculated for you.
Clicking this link opens calculator: Long Service Leave Contribution Calculator
If you have any problems accessing this calculator or making the correct entries into the spreadsheet, please do not hesitate to call Mike Fitz Gerald on 0419907443 anytime 24/7.
Posted in Employee Benefits, Long Service Leave | Tagged Contribution Calculator, Long Service Leave |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 22, 2010
We are often asked whether bereavement leave is an entitlement that accrues from year to year if it is not used by an employee in any given year. Also our clients ask if bereavement leave entitlements apply to part timers and casuals in the same way as it applies to full time employees. Another question that often arises is what is the difference between compassionate leave and bereavement leave. Find the answers to these and more questions on our Bulletin Board.
Posted in Award Interpretations, Employee Benefits |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 22, 2010
In certain circumstances in Local Government in Western Australia, employees have the right to portability of unused sick leave entitlements and unused long service leave entitlements. The entitlement to portability of long service leave comes from the Local Government (Long Service Leave) Regulations and has general application across all Local Governments in WA. The entitlement to portability of sick leave arises from the two main Local Government Awards, the Local Government Officers’ (WA) Award 1999 and the Municipal Employees (WA) Award 1999, which may not have such wide application across Local Government in WA, depending upon whether the Local Government in question is a National System Employer for the purposes of the Fair Work Act 2009. Continue reading “Portability of Leave Entitlements (Local Government)”
Posted in Award Interpretations, Employee Benefits | Tagged Continuity of Service, Leave Entitlements, National System Employers, Portability of Leave |
By Mike Fitz Gerald on September 21, 2010
Employees are often called upon to relieve in a higher position than their substantive position in an organization when their superior officers are absent from the workplace for any reason. This situation always triggers a question in the relieving employee’s mind “I wonder if I get paid extra for relieving in my Boss’s position whilst he is away?” Different Awards contain differing provisions in respect to the payment of Higher Duties Allowance in these circumstances. Continue reading “Higher Duties Allowance (Local Government)”
Posted in Award Interpretations, Employee Benefits | Tagged Allowances, Higher Duties, Relieving |
RSS Subscribe
Email updates