AN160068 – Clerks (Unions and Labor Movement) Award 2004
(1) The parties to this award recognise that in order to increase efficiency, productivity and international competitiveness of industry, a greater commitment to training and skill development is required. Accordingly, the parties commit themselves to:
(a) Developing a more highly skilled and flexible workforce.
(b) Providing employees with career opportunities through appropriate training to acquire additional skills.
(c) Removing barriers to the utilisation of skills acquired.
(2) Following proper consultation through the establishment of a training committee, an employer shall develop a training programme consistent with:
(a) The current and future skill needs of the enterprise.
(b) The size, structure and nature of the operations of the enterprise.
(c) The need to develop vocational skills relevant to the enterprise and the labor movement through courses conducted by accredited educational institutions and providers.
(3) Where it is agreed that a training committee be established, such training committee shall be constituted by equal numbers of employer and employee representatives and have a charter which clearly states its role and responsibilities, for example:
(a) Formulation of a training programme and availability of training courses and career opportunities to employees.
(b) Dissemination of information on the training programme and availability of training courses and career opportunities to employees.
(c) The recommending of individual employees for training and re-classification.
(d) Monitoring and advising management and employees regarding the ongoing effectiveness of the training.
(4) (a) Where, as a result of consultation through a training committee and/or with the employee concerned, it is agreed that additional training in accordance with the programme developed pursuant to subclause (2) of this clause, should be undertaken by an employee, that training may be undertaken either on or off the job and if the training is undertaken during ordinary working hours, the employee concerned shall not suffer any loss of pay. The employer shall not unreasonably withhold such paid training leave.
(b) Any costs associated with standard fees for prescribed courses and prescribed textbooks (excluding those textbooks which are available in the employer’s technical library) incurred with the undertaking of training shall be reimbursed by the employer upon production of evidence of such expenditure. Provided that reimbursement shall be on an annual basis, subject to the presentation of reports of satisfactory progress.
(c) Travel costs incurred by an employee undertaking training in accordance with this clause, which exceed those normally incurred in travelling to and from work, shall be reimbursed by the employer.
(5) Subclauses (2), (3) and (4) of this clause shall operate as interim provisions and shall be reviewed after nine months’ operation. In the meantime, the parties shall monitor the effectiveness of those interim provisions in encouraging the attainment of the objectives detailed in subclause (1) of this clause. In this connection, the union reserves the right to press for the mandatory prescription of a minimum number of training hours per annum, without loss of pay, for an employee undertaking training to meet the needs of an individual enterprise and the labour movement.
