Printing Industries has called for significant changes to the Vulnerable Workers Bill – also known as the ‘7-Eleven bill’ – saying it would place an unfair burden on print franchise employers.
“The Bill makes the mistake of assuming that every franchisor has control, influence and a direct line of sight over the workplace relations practices of each of its franchisees, when they don’t,” says PIAA CEO Andrew Macaulay. “Whilst this was the case in the well-publicised 7-Eleven cases, for a range of practical and commercial reasons it’s rarely the case in the franchising sector; nor should it be required to be so.’’
The Turnbull Government’s Bill to increase policing of workplace laws in the franchising sector is currently making its way through the Senate.
“On its face, the Bill makes franchisors and holding companies responsible for underpayments by franchisees or subsidiaries where they knew or ought to have reasonably known of contraventions of workplace relations laws, and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent them,” says Macaulay.
The Printing Industries CEO has accused the Federal Opposition is trying to use the proposed legislation to target all employers.
‘’As anticipated, yet even more extreme, the Federal Opposition is using the Bill as a vehicle both to increase every employers’ workplace responsibilities and push increased workplace liabilities beyond the franchising sector to contracting, labour hire and the supply chain.’’
Macaulay says two prominent Senate crossbenchers are pushing amendments to the Bill that have been proposed by Printing Industries.
“In line with lobbying from Printing Industries, key Senate crossbenchers Liberal Democratic Party’s David Leyonhjelm and Australian Conservatives’ Cory Bernardi are advocating changes to soften the effects of the Bill. Their amendments would help ensure that franchisors are not held accountable unless they are genuinely responsible for the workplace relations conduct of franchisees.”
Printing Industries maintains that with or without amendments, the Bill will penalise the majority of businesses to police a few.
“The bottom line is that businesses will face increased red tape; paperwork trails; auditing and internal costs, in order to try to reduce risks,” Macaulay says.
The Senate is likely to resume its consideration of the Bill in the week of 4 September.