This edition includes items on the following: Safe At Home Safe At Work Project; Family Violence and Commonwealth Laws; Should age be a barrier to work?; and New gender equality in the workplace laws have passed the lower house.
Safe At Home Safe At Work Project
Many ASU organisers have heard the call from communities and are addressing new claims in your agreements.
Dedicated additional paid leave for employees experiencing family or domestic violence;
Confidentiality of employee details must be assured and respected; and
Workplace safety planning strategies to ensure protection of employees should be developed and clearly understood by the parties concerned.
ACTU Congress 2012 endorsed the above principles in the ACTU Work, Life, Family Policy. ASU officials and employers discuss the effect of entitlements have on changing working lives for the better:
Family Violence and Commonwealth Laws
The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has released their report, detailing improvements to legal frameworks. The report can be read via the first link and some public comment of interest can be read in links that follow:
http://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/family-violence-and-commonwealth-laws-improving-legal-frameworks-alrc-report-117
http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/an-end-to-womens-work-20120524-1z7j5.html
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4037452.html
Should age be a barrier to work?
State Labour Councils are making submissions on the following ALRC Issues Paper: "Grey Areas-Age Barriers to Work in Commonwealth Laws". As is being exposed in debates about unpaid care, it is often women who return to work at an older age because they have taken extensive absences from the workforce to provide unpaid care.
Please find the link to "Unpaid Care and Age Barriers to Work in Commonwealth Law - Issues Paper": http://www.alrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/pdfs/publications/whole_ip_41.pdf
On all matters of insecure work, we draw you attention again to the ACTU report: "Lives on Hold - Unlocking the potential of Australia's workforce": http://www.actu.org.au/media/mediareleases/UnionspledgetotacklethegrowingcrisisofinsecureworkinAustraliawithanationalcampaign.aspx
New gender equality in the workplace laws have passed the lower house
Women's full and equal participation in work has been recognised by the Federal House of Representatives with proposed changes to equal opportunity laws likely to come into effect next year. Outcomes would benefit women and men in areas of pay equity, caring responsibilities and with a shift to businesses reporting on outcomes.
To find out more about the changes, please read the media release by The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for the Status of Women.