New industrial relations laws for public sector and local government workers took effect this week after reforms were implemented to the Industrial Relations Act 2016.
The broad-ranging Queensland legislation covers state public servants and council employees. It includes the reintroduction of collective bargaining for setting wages and conditions and removes a requirement, set by the former LNP government, for unions to advise members of how funds are spent, including donations and executive salaries.
The reforms also include new entitlements for employees who are victims of, or who care for victims of, domestic and family violence (DFV). Employees are entitled to 10 days of domestic and family violence leave on full pay and can access up to 10 days from current personal leave balance to care for a victim of DFV. The victim does not need to be related to the employee.
Employment, Industrial Relations, Racing and Multicultural Affairs Minister Grace Grace said she believed the reforms overturned some of the previous government's excesses and unfair industrial relations laws.
In October 2016 , the LGAQ used a parliamentary hearing to warn that the proposed Industrial Relations Act would lead to more job losses in councils.
The LGAQ appeared before the Finance and Administration Committee to state its case for a single local government award and objected to elements of the legislation introduced by the State Government.
All councils will be subjected to the new modern award/s from 1 March, with all pre-modernised awards ceasing to operate from this date. Transitionary arrangements exist where the new award might clash with conditions provided for in continuing certified agreements and/or where the continuing agreement calls up the former award/s.
The LGAQ is currently looking at State-developed fact sheets on the changes and will modify these in coming weeks to reflect the local government environment. Further fact sheets will be added over time based on enquiries and feedback from councils, and will be available to councils through LG Online.
Several councils have requested the LGAQ conduct further briefing sessions on the new Act and award, following on from those convened in December 2016. To assist in the planning of these follow-up workshops, councils are asked to email sarah_mclean@lgaq.asn.au to advise their intention to send representatives to the briefings and roughly how many staff would attend.