You’ve heard all about sham contracting,  here’s the facts and how you can identify it in your workplace.

2011 is already shaping up to be a busy year.
I’ve been kept fairly busy drafting the new EBAs plus numerous cases for members.

Shepherd Contracting and Brisbane Concrete Pumping (BCP) are two companies, run in tandem by Paul Richardson out of the same yard at Pinkenba. BCP pumps the concrete and Shepherd places and finishes it. Both companies have EBAs with the BLF and yet are trying to rob money from workers in different ways.

The Federal Govt ‘s proposed Paid Parental leave will generally only be available to mothers. The scheme will be a boost to BLF families with working mothers, but unfortunately the paid leave will not be available to fathers except in certain circumstances (details below). Only one parent can receive the paid leave at a time.

A very complex wage complaint has come to an end with BLF member Robert Allen settling for $16,000 from Toth Engineering. Mr. Allen accepted the out of court offer for his claim of unpaid wages Friday, 22 January. The claim went back six years which is as far back an unpaid wages complaint can be legally taken.

Laing O’Rourke has been called to answer for an unfair dismissal claim from a permanent employee who had to undergo life-saving kidney operations.