16.04.2009

Australian Crane hire wins stand alone terms

The Crane Industry Council of Australia (CICA) has succeeded in convincing the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) of the importance of continuing a separate stand-alone award for the mobile crane hiring sector.

John Gillespie, CICA President said: “CICA recognised this as a huge issue for members, so we did our homework and stood up to be counted. Importantly we engaged the Australian Industry Group (AiG) who had the industrial relations expertise and resources to put the industry’s case while harnessing the input of the CICA board and key members.

I was most pleased to work with the AiG team and would like to highlight the outstanding contributions made by CICA board members Albert Smith and Craig Meldrum,” added Gillespie.

“We were quietly confident that the team had compiled a strong case on behalf of members and the wider industry,” said Alan Marshall - CICA chief executive officer. “We also had the in principle support of the CFMEU. However we were mindful that it was still a ‘big ask’ for the AIRC to recognise our concerns, when award rationalisation has been such a strong Government objective.”

Following the AIRC’s decision a new modern award will be established called the Mobile Crane Hiring Award 2010, which adopts the AiG / CICA classification structure - The AIRC’s decision states:

“The CFMEU and the AiGroup / CICA propose slightly different structures in relation to the groupings of employee functions and minimum rates. …. We have adopted the position of the AiGroup / CICA in both respects. Their proposal in relation to slew crane operators better reflects the current award groupings and minimum wage levels. The recognition of licence requirements for riggers results in a more rational structure.”

Vertikal Comment

The benefit of maintaining a crane hire award is that the industry is not lumped in with a related but unconnected industry, such as Construction with structures, grades, rates and terms that could be wholly unsuited to the challenges of running a competitive crane rental business.

At the same time a national standard lays down common minimum terms of pay and conditions creating, if not a level playing field and least a level foundation for the industry.