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News Release |
BUSINESS
LOBBY OPPOSES CHILD PROTECTIONS
5 April 2007
The battle to protect young children
from workplace exploitation begins in the Industrial Relations Court
today.
SA Unions has proposed a Child Labour
Award aimed at ensuring young workers receive fair treatment.
The Award is the first step in
providing consistent and strong protections for children in South
Australia via a single consistent standard.
Business SA is trying to knock it out
in the first round, by arguing that it should not be allowed to
proceed on a point of law.
SA Unions Secretary Janet Giles says
she will fight tooth and nail to protect South Australia's children.
"We're seeking sensible provisions to
stop very young children working unreasonable hours or in
unreasonable roles, to guarantee they receive proper pay, to protect
them from injury, and to ensure they're not the victims of sexual
predators. We want all children to receive the same standard
of protection regardless of the industry they are in."
"SA Unions continues to receive
complaints from children and their parents about issues such as
working after midnight and having to go to school the next day, and
working alone in dangerous situations."
"Business SA is trying to thwart our
efforts to better protect our children", Ms Giles says.
"It is a desperate act by an
organisation that doesn't want to see any challenge to the federal
IR laws that deliver absolute power to employers and no power to
workers."
Respected silk Tim Stanley QC will be
advocating for SA Unions.
Instructing Solicitor Stephen Dolphin
from Lieschke and Weatherill says SA Unions has a strong case.
"Thanks to a state government
amendment, there are clear provisions under the
State Fair Work
Act to make laws pertaining to children. This Act allows
for a single award to protect all children. We believe this is
far superior to no laws, or potentially, a raft of inconsistent
standards across many awards", Mr Dolphin says.
The matter will be heard in the SA
Industrial Relations Court on 5th April 2007.
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