TASMANIANINDUSTRIALCOMMISSION
IndustrialRelationsAct1984
s23(1) application foraward orvariationofaward
TheMinisteradministeringtheStateService Act2000
(T14467 of2016)
AWU(TASMANIANSTATESECTOR)AWARD
PRESIDENTDJBARCLAY HOBART,23December 2016
Award variation -family violenceleave - compassionateand bereavementleave -parentalleave -consentapplication-consent orderissued -operativedate 22December2016
DECISION
[1] On 20 December 2016, The Minister administeringthe State Service Act 2000(MASSA)lodged with theRegistrar,pursuant toSection 23(1) oftheIndustrial RelationsAct1984(the Act),anapplicationtovarythe AWU(Tasmanian State Sector) Award.
[2] Atthehearing inHobart on22December 2016,MsJFitton appeared onbehalf ofthe MASSAand Mr KMidson appeared for the Australian Workers' Union, TasmanianBranch(AWU).
[3] MsFitton sought thefollowingvariations totheAward:
a. PartVII - Leave and Holidays with pay- insert new clause 10 -followingDefence ForceLeave - new provision -Family Violence Leave - amendsprevious PersonalLeaveprovision;
b. PartVII-LeaveandHolidays with pay- delete existingclause-insertnewclause-Parental Leaveclause-amends entitlementsto 14weekspaid Maternity Leave, and amends entitlements for partner andAdoptionLeave;
c. PartVII-LeaveandHolidayswith pay-delete existingclause3-replacewith new clause 3-PersonalLeave-amends to reflect separate FamilyViolence Leave provision, and also amendments to occasions whenstatutory declarationscanbeused-subclause;
d. PartVII-LeaveandHolidays withpay-deleteexistingclause-Insert newclause-clause4-CompassionateandBereavementLeaveincorporateschangestoperiod andreasonswhenleavecanbeaccessed.
[4] MsFitton notedthat thechangesaroseoutofthenegotiationsrelatingtothe2016wageagreements.
[5] Essentially the clauses introduce Compassionate Leave as part of BereavementLeaveentitlementsexpanding the accessofpersons to leave where asignificantotherhasalife threateningillness or injuryand for whom the employee is providingcar; aseparateprovision forFamily ViolenceLeave;anincreaseinParentalLeaveentitlementstogether with ancillary amendmentstoeffectthosevariations.
[6] Mr Midson commended the variations to me. Inmy view the variations areappropriate,especially in relation to the Family Violence clause and the inclusion ofCompassionateLeave
[8]Bothparties submittedthevariationssoughtdonotoffendthepublic interest,donotdisadvantage those employees covered bythe Award andrecommendedthe variationstotheCommission.
[9]Iamsatisfied that thevariationsareinthepublicinterest andthat noemployees aredisadvantaged.
[10] Theapplication isgranted and pursuant to ss24 and 36 of the Act the Award isvariedinaccordancewith theapplication.Thevariationstotheawardareoperative from
22December 2016.
[11] Anorderreflectingthisdecisionistofollow.
Apt"-·...... -
MsJFitton forMASSA
MrKMidsonforAWU
Date andplaceofhearing:
2016
22December
Hobart