see individual contract

A state or federal industrial instrument that sets down wages and conditions for a particular industry or group of employees. It covers matters like wages, overtime, classification structures, leave entitlements (including annual, sick, parental, maternity & family leave, termination & redundancy protection, public holidays and other minimum conditions of employment. Employers must abide by the conditions of an award because it is a legal document.

A person employed to do short term, temporary, irregular or seasonal work. Casual employees are not usually entitled to benefits associated with continuous employment - although they are often entitled to a 'loading' on top of the rate for permanent workers. This is designed compensate for missing out on sick leave, holiday pay and other benefits.

An agreement made between a group of employees and an employer or a group of employers/their union and an employer. Once an agreement has been approved by the Workplace Authority it is legally enforceable and all parties must comply with it.

The process used by employers and employees negotiate a set of rules and conditions for their workplace and which results in an enterprise agreement. Other terms to describe collective bargaining include; enterprise bargaining; workplace bargaining, over-award bargaining and company bargaining.

An elected union representative based at the workplace. Delegates have responsibility for informing and educating fellow workers about important issues at that workplace; acting on member's complaints and meeting with management to resolve local disputes. Some workplaces have multiple delegates to ensure the workload is shared and members have better access to their union.

This is the umbrella term for either a
Common Law Contract, AWA (Australian Workplace Agreement) or ITEA (Interim Transitional Employment Agreement). If you require more information about the kind of contract you are on, please contact your union.

This is the new body that will be set up by 2010 to oversee Federal Labor's new IR system. It will have the power to hear unfair dismissals, review awards, hear minimum wage cases and assist with bargaining.

This is part of the Workplace Relations Act and guarantees the right of every Australian worker to chose to join or not join a union.

There is a national system of minimum wages which underpins rates of pay for all workers. Minimum wages differ depending on a number of factors including, your skills, job classification and your age. Unions campaign and make claims every year for a decent increase to minimum wages. The union claims often lead to state claims in industrial tribunals. From 1 October 2008, the weekly rate of pay for adults on the Federal Minimum Wage (FMW) will rise to $543.78 while in WA which has the highest minimum wages, the rate will be $557.40.

The Rudd Government introduced the 10 National Employment Standards in June 2008. The new standards will work in conjunction with new 'modern' awards to ensure that all Australian workers have a guaranteed set of minimum employment conditions.

The amount of prior warning you need to give your employer if you want to leave your job, or that they need to give you if they want to terminate your employment.

A paid official employed by unions to represent the interests of workers individually or as a group. The organizer supports members to build strength at work through organising around workplace issues.

Termination of employment by the employer either because they do not need that job performed anymore or they need fewer people to do that work. If you are made redundant - or think you may be in the near future- you should contact your union for advice on your rights.

(See collective agreement)

Work Choices is the name for the Howard Government's sweeping IR reforms contained in Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005. The laws came into effect in March 2006 and got rid of important rights and entitlements for Australian workers.
More than three million workers lost protection from unfair dismissal. Collective bargaining rights were reduced and the power of the independent umpire, the Industrial Relations Commission was greatly reduced.
Many thousands of Australian workers were pushed onto AWAs that cut their take home pay and stripped away important job conditions, such as penalty rates, public holidays, rest breaks, overtime and redundancy pay.
The Rudd Government has taken some steps to dismantle Work Choices and banned new AWAs. Further legislation to complete the dismantling of Work Choices will be introduced in late 2008.