Fair Work Amendment (Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry) Bill 2012

The majority voted in favour of a motion to agree to the Fair Work Amendment (Textile, Clothing and Footwear Industry) Bill 2012.

Passing this motion ends the discussion of the bill in detail. Immediately after this motion, the members agreed to read the bill for a third time.( Third reading passed without division. ) This means that the bill passed through the House of Representatives and, as it had already passed through the Senate, it will now become law.

Background to the Bill

The bill was introduced to address the poor working conditions facing vulnerable workers in the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry.(More information about this bill and the context surrounding it can be found here. The text of the bill as passed by both houses can be found here.) Controversially, it extends most of the provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009 to outworkers by deeming them to be employees. It also extends specific right of entry rules to sweatshop premises. This allows a permit holder (such as a union official) to enter such premises without giving 24 hours notice under certain circumstances.

References