New construction guidelines are now in line with Government policy and will help apprentices 09 July, 2009 | Media Release Construction workers stand to benefit from the Federal Government’s move to bring the guidelines for the code covering taxpayer-funded construction projects into line with the new Fair Work Act, say unions.   ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said the new Implementation Guidelines released by Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard this afternoon would restore the national construction code to its original purpose of encouraging ethical tendering practices.   “Procurement policies such as the National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry should be consistent with the Government’s other policy objectives.   “With the demise of WorkChoices and beginning of the new ‘Fair Work’ industrial relations laws on 1 July, the guidelines were totally out of kilter with Government policy and effectively obsolete.   “Under the Howard Government, procurement in construction became another arm of WorkChoices. The revised code brings it into alignment with the new IR laws.   ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said the new guidelines are timely considering Federal and State Governments plan to spend billions of dollars over the next few years on major infrastructure projects around the nation.   “The building and construction industry employs about 900,000 hard-working Australians and will play a key role in Australia’s economic recovery,” Mr Lawrence said.   “Unions particularly welcome the new emphasis on the employment and training of apprentices in the revised guidelines.   “The revised guidelines seek to encourage more employment of young people in one of the nation’s most important industries.   “The support for more apprentices in the industry is a positive example of how Government purchasing can be used to secure objectives for maximum community benefit.   “We need a workforce that is trained and ready to begin work when these projects start. It is a good use of taxpayers’ money to build the skills of the next generation of Australian workers. It will be important to see this section of the guidelines properly enforced when the Government selects its tenders.   Mr Lawrence said the code also reinforces existing workplace health and safety obligations but unions believe there is space for the Government to use its purchasing power to better protect workers’ safety.   “The Federal Government could do more to improve occupational health and safety in an industry in which several dozen people are killed in traumatic accidents and scores more are injured each year,” Mr Lawrence said. Contact Details Mark Phillips Ph: 0422 009 011