Cold comfort for outworkers' rights

SYDNEY: Fairwear remains concerned that outworkers' rights will be eroded in the Government's industrial relations reforms after its delegation to Government left empty handed.
The outworker protection campaign's mission to Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews on April 27 raised concern over two issues: independent contractor legislation - which would override the deeming provisions affording outworkers in all states (except Western Australia) the same entitlements as employees - and the government's award rationalisation program, designed to pare back the number of awards, confirmed Fairwear NSW chairperson Debbie Carstens.
"The Minister gave us a fair hearing and said he was concerned, but we are in no position to feel confident," she said.
Ragtrader contacted Minister Andrews' office but he was not available for comment.
"Outworkers are very concerned about the independent contractor legislation. They're fearful of being asked to sign something which would mean they would lose their benefits and entitlements to a minimum rate of pay," said Fairwear's Carstens.
Fairwear was not happy about award rationalisation in principle but believed the Clothing Trades Award, the Textile Trades Award, the Footwear Trades Award and the Felt Hatting Trades award were the best candidates for merging, she said.
"If there has to be some sort of combination, putting these four awards together would be the preferred option.
"We're arguing that because of the special nature of outworker employment [in the clothing sector] we do not want the clothing award to be tied up with a more general manufacturing award."
Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia NSW state secretary Barry Tubner confirmed that out of the four the Clothing Trades Award (1999) should take precedent because it contained the strongest outworker provisions.
"If we end up with a system in which the weakest outworker provisions prevail it would set us back about 20 years," he said.
Following Minister Andrews' 'refusal' of a 'guarantee of shelter' a group of Sydney outworkers staged a demonstration during Sydney Fashion Week.
Sydney outworker Kim Nguyen spoke at the event.
"It is hard enough to feed our families already without getting rid of the only laws that protect us," Nguyen said.