| The employer / employee relations environment has | | | | AWAs have a life of 3 years, however if they are |
| been constantly evolving during the last 25 years. In | | | | carefully written can continue long after the 3 year |
| Australia, as in many western nations, the balance | | | | expiry date. |
| between employers and employees has shifted back | | | | By way of example you may own a farm where |
| and forwards usually in response to supply and | | | | seasonal workers are required. Your AWA can be |
| demand. | | | | designed to reflect seasonal requirements that suite |
| At times worker organisations, such as unions, have | | | | both worker and employer. |
| caused considerable problems for employers while | | | | You employees may want a 4 day working week. |
| arguing that unionism protects workers pay and | | | | Your AWA can tailor this requirement into the |
| conditions. | | | | agreement and without payment of penalty rates for |
| While this has been true in some arenas it has also | | | | working in excess of 8 hours per day. |
| been true that this has come at the expense of | | | | Take Australian Zoo owned by Steve and Terri Irwin. |
| enterprise flexibility. | | | | Because of their unique requirements in caring for |
| Small business today needs the flexibility to rapidly | | | | animals AWA's have provided flexible working times. |
| respond to technological and sociological change and | | | | With a workforce of 450 people they have been able |
| the old award system and its archaic inflexibility have | | | | to grow their business in the certainty of wages and |
| to change. | | | | conditions. |
| In the late 80's and 90's there was a shift towards | | | | Other advantages of an AWA may be that an |
| enterprise bargaining agreements and collective | | | | employee is able to cash out sick leave at the end of |
| agreements which gave an individual enterprise | | | | every year reducing the amount of sick leave taken |
| increasing workplace flexibility. | | | | and providing an added incentive for turning up for |
| These agreements, at the enterprise level, where | | | | work each day. It all adds up to flexibility. |
| parties were normally unions on behalf of workers and | | | | An AWA can override state and federal award |
| small business went some ways in achieving of | | | | provisions, as long as the terms and conditions of the |
| flexibility but still retained some of the old thinking and | | | | AWA overall do not disadvantage the employee |
| inflexible practices. In essence the old award system | | | | when compared to the award. This gives the |
| continued to be a reference point for minimum wages | | | | employer and employee certainty of conditions in the |
| and entitlements for workers. | | | | employment relationship. |
| In 1996 the federal government introduced Australian | | | | A business without a written formal agreement |
| Workplace Agreements (AWA) which was | | | | between worker and the employer is at risk to claim |
| specifically designed with individual business and | | | | before industrial tribunals and courts. |
| worker in mind. | | | | Certainly documenting and agreeing on individual |
| At its fundamental level an AWA is a formal written | | | | workplace wages and conditions means certainty of |
| agreement between an employer and an individual | | | | cost and the ability to be competitive. |
| employee. A significant advantage to workers and | | | | Cash, Costs and People are the number one ticket |
| business is that an AWA can be tailored to cover all | | | | item in many businesses today. |
| particular requirements for your business. | | | | |