Drafting update and the status of the suspension order    

As we continue to work through the drafting for the 104 new conditions won during this bargaining round, we continue to face resistance and stalling tactics from an employer that seems to have forgotten how bargaining works.

Instead of bargaining in the normal way, the Government has retreated to the Fair Work Commission and refuses to engage in regular bargaining, making progress slow and painful.

We are continuing to pursue orders for a breach of the good faith bargaining requirements in an effort to force the employers and the Government to provide documents and to meet with us in the normal format of bargaining.

Our EA delegates will be back before the Commission for further drafting on Thursday and Friday where we’ll be discussing the remainder of the items left to draft. Once the process concludes, we’ll provide a comprehensive position statement on where we’re up to.

On today’s news on the suspension order front, the ETUs bid was unfortunately unsuccessful, meaning that the order stays in place.

Our application to revoke the order continues with the employers evidence and arguments due to the Commission on Friday and a hearing date to be set shortly.

If you’d like more information about the drafting process or our case to overturn the suspension order, please contact your EA delegate or your organiser.