Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Bill 2008
The Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Bill 2008 (the Bill) was introduced into Parliament on 13 February 2008. The Bill includes amendments the Workplace Relations Act 1996 to make a number of changes to the framework for workplace agreements, and to enable the process of award modernisation to commence. The proposed amendments give effect to key Government election commitments, and begin the transition to a new workplace relations system.
The key provisions in the Bill will:
(i) prevent the making of new Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs);
(ii) create new Individual Transitional Employment Agreements (ITEAs) to be available only for limited use during the transitional period;
(iii) put in place a new no-disadvantage test for future workplace agreements to provide better protection for employees; and
(iv) enable the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to undertake the process of modernising awards.