Back to the 1970s

Australia is beset by many things, including a very retro industrial award. Introduced a few days ago with the change of calendar year, it is one of the most backward documents Mine Host has read. All 150-odd pages of it.

The Hospitality Industry General Award is a step directly back to the 1970s.

A long outspoken campaigner for simplification of the industrial awards covering his industry, Mine Host alas can find nothing positive in the new award.

This ONE new award is more complex than the SIX it replaces. (that is, the Six, including subsets of awards, under which Mine Host's operation currently operates)

As this new award is far more employer unfriendly than those it replaces, it will be implemented in stages, beginning in July.

For were this award to be implemented in one swoop, there would be a risk of social, industrial, and possibly political upheaval on an unprecedented scale (for Australia)

The government is relying on the "boiled frog" phenomenon to get the award past small business, ramping it up over a few years.

Hmm......

Under the new award some aspects of the Wayside Tavern will no longer be economic, thus will be cut or eliminated, as will be jobs cut or eliminated.

Mine Host estimates that the pay reduction to each staff member, caused by structural changes in the new award, will be roughly $1,500 per year. Some of the better staff will lose far more, as there is considerable penalty applied to those prepared to work (an award designed to discourage employment of someone who works hard: smells of Trade Union involvement!)

So far careful analysis of the business and the new award have exposed some efficiencies that can be made in the business. Already Two jobs have been identified as being uneconomic under the new award.

Mine Hosts forecast: After July 1st, he will be employing Four less staff.