Standing Committee on Employment, Education
and Workplace Relations
Improving Retrenchment Processes - what can be done?
A Round Table Forum to discuss the need for an Employer Code of Conduct
for Retrenching Workers will be held next
Tuesday, 21 March, from 1.30pm
until 4pm, in Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House.
An Employer Code of Conduct is being considered by the House of Representatives
Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Workplace Relations
which is undertaking an Inquiry into Mature-age Workers.
The House Employment Committee wants the Code to have a balanced approach,
acceptable to both employers and employees. Therefore, the Round Table
discussions will involve representatives from peak groups, including
ACCI, ACTU, Centrelink and Salvation Army Employment Plus. The full
list of participants is attached.
Retrenchment is an increasing occurrence in recent times. Those most
affected are mature-age workers. The ABS Labour Force figures for August
1999 highlighted that 652 800 workers found themselves unemployed. The
majority were aged 45-54. Once unemployed, some find it very difficult
to find paid work again and many can only find short-term employment.
The average unemployment period for a middle-aged person is 110 weeks.
The Inquiry into mature-age workers began in March 1999 and has focused
on social, economic and industrial issues specific to workers over 45
seeking employment, or establishing a business, following unemployment.
The Round Table Forum in Canberra next Tuesday 21 March is the final
public hearing before the Committee drafts its report and prepares its
recommendations to Parliament. Public Hearings have also been held in
Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Newcastle.
"We have heard of cases where people are literally frogmarched out
of a building or people are just given their last pay and off they go.
They are given a redundancy package and no advice at all about where
to go or what to do with it," the House Employment Committee Chair,
Dr Brendan Nelson, said.
"Many have been through a harrowing experience and this has affected
their ability to find another job quickly. Others have been given a
more humane parting.
"The Newcastle Steelworks was the best example of how to help people
being retrenched. BHP funded support services with the full cooperation
of the relevant unions. The chances of 900 mature-age job seekers being
re-employed were much improved."
The Committee realises that not all employers can afford to provide
millions of dollars throughout a two-year period to help more than a
thousand workers. The Round Table Forum is to discuss what reasonably
can be done to help.
Event:
Inquiry into Mature-age Workers Round Table Forum discussion on Employer
Code of Conduct for Retrenching Workers
When: Tuesday 21 March, 1.30-4pm
Where: Parliament House, Canberra, 2R1
Participants:
Business Council of Australia (BCA)
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI)
Council of Small Business Organisations of Australia (COSBOA)
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU)
Davidson & Associates (D&A)
Department of Employment, Workplace Relations & Small Business (DEWRSB)
Department of Family and Community Services (DFaCS)
Mission Australia
Salvation Army Employment Plus
JobsEast
Centrelink
Council on the Ageing
For media comment contact Dr Brendan Nelson MP on his mobile 0418
123 438 or Electorate Office on 02 9416 4044.
For background information contact the Committee Secretariat on 02
6277 4573 or visit the House Employment Committee website at: www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/eewr/OWK/index.htm
Or contact House of Representatives Media Adviser, Sally Webster on
02 6277 2063 or 0401 143 724.
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