04 July, 2006

More stuff to be worried about with Australia's draconian IR laws

This story is about a mine worker who was sacked after not signing a new workplace agreement. She apparently didn't give into the pressure being placed on her so was sacked. According to the news article, the employer apparently admitted to sacking her for not signing the new agreement.

One of the new 'rules' in the awa, they wanted her to sign, was to give 12 hours notice for sick leave or she'd have to pay a fine of $200. How ridiculous. If I was working under that agreement I'd be fined on occasion - but honestly I'd have no way of avoiding it. You see I get migraines occasionally and about a third of the time I wake up with them. Now, as I get the auras with my migraines, I can't actually see anything other than flashing lights, so not safe to drive (or do much else to be honest). In that situation, I'd be forced to go to work and possibly be an occupational health and safety hazard or be fined!

She's taking the employer to court to test the supposed protection given by the new laws. Pardon me for being cynical but I don't see that there's much protection for workers, in these new laws, at all - just employers.

3 comments:

CCCCppppCCppp said...

c

On my last job you had to give 2 weeks notice if you were going to die so you could train your replacement before you expired.(TEE HEE)

CCCCppppCCppp said...

glad to see you are still in place .blogger has been bad and one of our friends "mummified" over there in australia has disappeared

caramaena said...

I'm still here :)

Though I do need to post more often. I was aiming for a daily post - heh, that fell by the wayside pretty quickly.

I hope you find the friend's blog again soon.