FWC rules on Graphic Arts Award

A three-way tussle between the AMWU, PIAA, and Ai Group on the future of the Graphic Arts Award has been ruled on by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) with the Ai Group’s submission accepted.

The FWC has determined that Schedule C of the Award will now be removed, with any disputes on pay and level classifications to be determined using Schedule B of the Award.

Schedule C of the award features competencies aligned to the Printing and Graphic Arts Training Package, and uses a points-based system to determine an employee’s wage classification in the case of an industrial dispute.

In its ruling, the FWC has noted, “The removal of an outmoded Schedule C of the Award will not in our view cause any serious or significant disadvantage to any employee covered by the Award who does not possess a formal qualification if the employee otherwise meets the definition and will result in clarity of operation. As is evident from the definitions in Schedule B, a formal qualification is not a prerequisite to an employee being classified at a particular level.”

The AMWU and PIAA were united in their wish to update Schedule C of the Graphic Arts Award, involving the removal of certain competencies, and the update and adding of others.

The Ai Group objected within its submission, claiming that a change to the weighting of competencies could have a consequence of workers subsequently being able to demand higher wages for the same work, leaving employers at a disadvantage. Instead, it contended that the Schedule should be removed entirely, with the FWC agreeing in a ruling passed down today.

At the time, Stephen Smith, head of workplace relations policy, Ai Group, noted, “There were significant risks of reclassification claims and higher wage increases, and that is the reason why Ai Group vigorously opposed the claim on behalf of its many member companies in the printing and packaging industries.”

The AMWU, rejecting the Ai Group request to remove the points-based competency system, noted in its submission to the FWC, “Employees, especially those without a formal qualification would be denied a fair and transparent means of classification via the points system should the Ai Group’s proposal be accepted. Employees with a qualification would simply present their trade certificate to be accurately classified, whereas an employee doing the same job beside the employee with the formal qualification would not have such a clear path to classification.”

The FWC has sided with the Ai Group on this claim, noting, “The removal of an outmoded Schedule C of the Award will not in our view cause any serious or significant disadvantage to any employee covered by the Award who does not possess a formal qualification if the employee otherwise meets the definition and will result in clarity of operation. As is evident from the definitions in Schedule B, a formal qualification is not a prerequisite to an employee being classified at a particular level.”

Lane Print Group, and its managing director, Peter Lane, also supported the Ai Group in its submission. Lane called on the AMWU to provide a point-by-point explanation of why each individual competency was being added.

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