Modern employment instruments have no scope or coverage for energy emergencies
I've been talking about this with my workmates.
Most Australians are employed under one of a number of different types of employment instruments.
In my industry, operations staff are employed under what are called Enterprise Agreements certified at federal government level. Each rail company has one (or more) for it's various cohorts of operations and non admin/exec/management staff.
There is no scope or coverage at all in modern employment instruments in Australia do deal with energy emergencies like we are seeing right now.
If staff cannot buy fuel because they don't have enough money, or supplies stop coming, and they cannot get to work...
If the government mandates fuel purchase limits which make it difficult for a person who cannot get to work any way other than driving and cannot buy enough fuel...
If fuel for the company's operations (freight trains in my case) gets restricted and trains can't run ...
The only current option would be to 'stand down' staff (meaning they don't get paid) but they can't get jobs anywhere else because other rail companies would be in the same 'boat' so-to-speak.
This then means all staff with a mortgage default on their home loan payments with no income, can't pay regular bills, can't buy food, clothing, can't pay for vehicle registration, insurance, repairs/maintenance and general running costs, and it flows on.
I wonder how this will end.
Most Australians are employed under one of a number of different types of employment instruments.
In my industry, operations staff are employed under what are called Enterprise Agreements certified at federal government level. Each rail company has one (or more) for it's various cohorts of operations and non admin/exec/management staff.
There is no scope or coverage at all in modern employment instruments in Australia do deal with energy emergencies like we are seeing right now.
If staff cannot buy fuel because they don't have enough money, or supplies stop coming, and they cannot get to work...
If the government mandates fuel purchase limits which make it difficult for a person who cannot get to work any way other than driving and cannot buy enough fuel...
If fuel for the company's operations (freight trains in my case) gets restricted and trains can't run ...
The only current option would be to 'stand down' staff (meaning they don't get paid) but they can't get jobs anywhere else because other rail companies would be in the same 'boat' so-to-speak.
This then means all staff with a mortgage default on their home loan payments with no income, can't pay regular bills, can't buy food, clothing, can't pay for vehicle registration, insurance, repairs/maintenance and general running costs, and it flows on.
I wonder how this will end.
