AN120484 – Saddlery, Leather, Canvas and Plastic Material Workers' (State) Award

28. PAYMENT BY RESULT SCHE/SHEMES

Subject to employees receiving at least the appropriate minimum time rate prescribed by this award and subject to the following provisions of this clause, any employer may remunerate employees under any piecework system, individual or group bonus system or other system of payment by results:

(a) The employer may fix piecework rates, or other rates based on tasks set (subject to subclause (d), of this clause) by a method of accurate time measurement determined by the employer provided that such rates enable employees who apply average skill and effort and working under normal conditions to earn 12.5 per cent above ordinary time rates; or

(b) The employer may (subject to subclause (d), of this clause) adopt any form of bonus system including profit sharing or other like systems.

(c) A Factory Board shall be appointed consisting of two representatives nominated by the employer and one of his employees nominated by employees covered by this award and one by the union who shall be the Secretary of the union or his nominee, not being a person employed by another employer in the industry.

(d) The rates fixed in accordance with subclause (a), of this clause and the bonus system adopted in accordance with subclause (b), of this clause shall in the event of a dispute be referred to the Factory Board; provided that if the employees of the union fail to appoint representation to such Board or fail to attend a meeting of such Board called by the employer on a date not less than seven days after the service of notice of a meeting on the employees' representatives and the union, the employer may adopt such rates or adopt such system of payment by results as the employer shall deem reasonable.

(e) In the event of any disagreement by the Factory Board with the systems adopted or the rates fixed the matter shall be referred to the Industrial Committee who shall decide whether such rates have been properly fixed or whether such systems are fair and reasonable.

(f) Piecework and similar rates once fixed shall not, subject to other provisions of this clause, be altered except where warranted by change of circumstances, operations, methods or materials or to correct a demonstrable clerical error or by mutual agreement.

(g) Award variations shall be incorporated into the payment by results system.

(h) Where any system of payment by results is in operation the basis of such system shall be reduced to writing and, on request by the Secretary of the union, a copy shall be made available to the union on a confidential basis.

(j) Overtime penalties, shift premiums and other penalty rates prescribed by this award shall be a separate addition on the appropriate time rate basis to any earnings calculated by way of any system of payment by results.

(k) Employees waiting on the employer's premises, at the employer's request, ready and willing to work shall, for each pay period, receive at least the time rate prescribed for their occupation.

(l) Employees on piecework teaching learners (not in the employ of the pieceworker) on piecework - 10 per cent of piecework rates extra whilst so employed.