Awards vs Agreements (1 Viewer)

[ondroo]

What is the different between an award and an agreement? The text-book isn't being much help

 

[seano77]

An award is the minimus standard of pay and conditions for that industry set by a tribunal, I think AIRC, but maybe it changed to Fair Pay Commission or something. An agreement is negotiated between employees and employers and is not set by the tribunal.

 

[ondroo]

Ok well i'll post wot the textbook says and maybe someone can make sense of it;

"Awards are one of three types of agreements available to businesses and employees; two are collective agreements such as awards and enterprise agreements (certified agreements) and the other is individual agreements, AWAs."

Then it says awards are made and approved by the AIRC

Then under agreements it has;
"Certified agreements are collective 'enterprise' agreements that may cover a single business or part thereof, multiple businesses, or a constitutional corporation."

Then it says they must be filed for approval by AIRC as well.

Then it has AWAs and individual contracts as subheadings under agreements as well.

Confusing much?

 

[seano77]

Yeah awards are made the AIRC and an employer can choose to just put their employees on that, or the employees at a certain business or in an industry (like some schools) can negotiate enterprise agreements which would have different conditions and pay structures to an award. Although this has to be approved by the AIRC as well, the AIRC does not create the enterprise agreements, the employees and employers do through negotiation.

AWA's are individually negotiated contracts between one employee and an employer. They have recently been replaced by ITEA's (Individual Transitional Employment Agreement) by the Rudd Govt.

 

[ondroo]

Ahhh got it... Thanks!

 

[RohanZ]

I'm pretty sure the AIRC has lost all wage/award setting powers (please correct me if i'm wrong). I think those powers have gone to the Australian Fair Pay commission.

 

[seano77]

Your right, AIRC now deals only with dispute resolution. The Fair Pay Commission now sets minimum wage and awards.

 

[kooza]

So then in the end... is there a certain number of types of agreements because the text book first says theres 3 types; awards , enterprise agreements and AWAs. But then under agreements it has certifid agreements, AWAs and individua common law employment contracts.

Quite confusing as I am unsure wheather awards are a type of agreement because they hav a separate heading and plus i dont no what to write if they ask for the types of agreements...

 

[seano77]

AWA's are individual agreements made between the employer and employee. Certified agreements are now just called 'collectived enterprise agreements'.
Common law employment contracts may be written or verbal (often informal) and are more common in the private sector or non-union enterprises. They are more common at the proffessional and managerial level. An AWA is a type of common law contract, but more common in lower skilled work. Usually people like doctors are on common law contracts.

 

[kooza]

ok thanks