Australian tradies and labourers could be set for a HUGE hit to the hip pocket as construction bosses push to scrap penalty rates and slash casual shifts
- Tradies could face an end to lucrative Saturday penalty rates and paid overtime
- Building firms are hoping to bring about changes to tough industry awards
- They say the COVID-19 pandemic is having a huge effect on the building sector
- But unions warned some firms are using the crisis to strip workers rights
Tradies could see an end to lucrative weekend penalty rates and no paid overtime in a huge overhaul to 'restrictive' rules accused of crippling the building sector.
Construction companies are pushing for an end to some industry award regulations, which they say are making it difficult for the sector to recover from the COVID-19 shutdown.
But unions are blocking the move, accusing employers of exploiting the pandemic to take away workers' rights and strip their earnings.
The overhaul includes a call to scrap Saturday penalty rates, which see workers earn at least 150 per cent of their usual salary if they are made to work on a weekend.
Casual shifts could also be cut down to as little as two hours, with employers warning 30 per cent of businesses could be shut down in the next 12 months.
A worker is seen on a roadside construction site in Sydney (pictured). Many work sites are affected by social distancing changes - causing delays to some projects
Workers could even be asked to take annual leave if the company suffered a sufficient drop-off in business, with employers allowed to reduce their hours to zero if they are affected by government restrictions.
Social distancing measures put in place to slow the spread of the deadly respiratory infection mean slower work and huge delays to projects.
In a plea to the Fair Work Commission, a group of building firms have sought a series of changes to awards, saying they are needed to overcome the impact changes to the sector brought on by coronavirus.
Changes proposed by Master Builders Australia, the Australian Industry Group and the Housing Industry Association include a change to ordinary working hours, according to The Australian.
A normal week would be 38 hours between 6am and 7pm on Monday to Friday and 6am and 2pm on Saturday.
Tradesman (pictured in a Melbourne pub on June 1) could see an end to costly weekend penalty rates
Casual shift minimums would be reduced from four hours to just two, with time off instead of paid overtime.
Annual leave could be directed by bosses, and hours could be reduced if work dries up - even to zero.
The groups claimed 77,000 constructions workers had lost their jobs or been stood down during the pandemic.
A survey suggested that one-third of construction businesses could be forced to close in the next 12 months if the outlook didn't improve.
'The risk of inaction is that another one of Australia's key industries ends up in freefall, well after the health crisis is over,' the submission read.
Kangaroos star and plumber Jasmine Garner (pictured) is seen working on April 21 at the Melbourne Hockey Centre site
But powerful unions accused building firms of exploiting the pandemic to 'attack' workers' rights.
'Construction workers have co-operated with employers to keep the industry working while other industries shut down,' CFMEU construction division national secretary Dave Noonan said.
'But they won't cop the pandemic being used to attack wages and conditions.
'That's just opportunism.'
It comes as the federal government consider a range of options to protect the critical sector, including cash grants for home renovations.
Part of a new round of economic stimulus to prop up the embattled sector, the government is also discussing subsidising larger-scale building work.
Speaking on Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison signalled the next stimulus package would include more targeted policies for specific sectors.
'Now, as time goes on, there are sectors who will endure more of the pain for longer, and what we've seen, there'll be gaps that occur in our economy and house building,' Mr Morrison said,
Construction workers abiding by the social distancing rules as they eat their lunch in the almost deserted Pitt Street Mall in Sydney on March 26 (pictured)
'Residential construction will be one of those gaps that we have to address.'
Experts have warned that GDP figures, due to be released on Wednesday, will show the economy shrank by 0.4 per cent during the first three months of 2020.This includes the horrific bushfire season and the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Treasure Josh Frydenberg said home investment was worth about 5 per cent of GDP, or $100billion - with more than one million Australians working in the industry.
Labor's housing spokesman, Jason Clare, said the construction stimulus programme couldn't start soon enough.
A construction worker is seen at a site in Melbourne on May 28 (pictured) with the coronavirus pandemic bringing huge changes to the sector
'I've got two words for the prime minister: hurry up,' Mr Clare told the Guardian.
'We are talking about an industry that employs about one million Australians.
'The tradies, the apprentices and others who work in that home building sector … are going to feel a lot of pain unless we can keep a continuity in the business of house construction.'
Mr Morrison is also expected to announce $1.75billion for the New South Wales government to kick start the Western Sydney Airport metro rail line project.
It is hoped the huge works will create 14,000 jobs.
