Premier Morris Iemma launching the 'Growing Our Skills Base' apprentice incentive scheme at the Epping to Chatswood Rail Link site at North Ryde

NSW Premier, Morris Iemma has announced a $74 million apprentice incentive scheme to grow the State's skills base together with across-the-board reductions in workers compensation premiums and an increase in benefits for injured workers.

"This business friendly package has been made possible by the Government's success in turning around the financial fortunes of the State's WorkCover scheme"

Premier Morris Iemma

"Sound financial management, improved claims handling and hard work have returned the scheme to surplus."

Mr Iemma said the package will see NSW employers, injured workers and young people reap the benefits from the WorkCover scheme's return to financial health. It includes:

* A $74 million incentive scheme to increase the employment of apprentices

* A 10 per cent increase in permanent impairment benefits for injured workers

*A further 5 per cent reduction in workers compensation premiums for all NSW businesses - or a total 20 per cent reduction in just 12 months

"In just 12 months the NSW Government has twice increased benefits to injured workers and reduced premiums for business by $560 million," Mr Iemma said.

"This is real progress that will potentially create more than 8,000 jobs.

"In addition, the Growing our Skills Base apprentice incentive scheme is forecast to increase the number of apprentices in NSW by more than five per cent - or an extra 1,000 apprentices a year.

"Wages for apprentices will be exempt from workers compensation premium calculations for policies renewed from 31 December 2006. 

"At the same time, permanent impairment benefits for injured workers will increase to a maximum $231,000, while other payments, including weekly benefits and all medicals will remain unchanged. 

"The WorkCover scheme now has much lower legal costs and a greater focus on immediate medical care, financial support and assistance to return to work."

The latest 5 per cent premium reduction will have a practical impact on NSW businesses:

* A large manufacturer in Sydney will save $85,752

* A large financial services firm in the inner city will save $60,867

* A plastics manufacturer in Sydney's West will save $10,661

* A building wholesaler in the South East will save $2,196

* A small bread shop in the Southern suburbs and preschool in Southern NSW will save an additional $300 each. Both businesses are protected from premium increases if they have a claim.

The benefit increases and premium reductions were determined following the latest independent valuation of the scheme. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates the NSW WorkCover scheme to be in surplus by $85 million - down from a massive $3.2 billion deficit several years ago.

The scheme's outstanding performance and our continued improvement in occupational health and safety are evidence that the Iemma Government is delivering positive results for the State, in partnership with employers and workers.

helping young people, lifeguards, librarians and road workers keep safe from work choices

Six months after the unfair Work Choices legislation was introduced, NSW Premier, Morris Iemma, has announced further action by the State Government to protect workers and help employers.

"In just six months we have made real progress in protecting conditions and entitlements of NSW frontline workers - and now we are going even further," Mr Iemma said.

The Iemma Government will now:

* extend child labour laws to ensure young people under 18 years of age are protected from unfair dismissal.

* make amendments to the Local Government Act to protect the conditions and entitlements of NSW council workers.

"Our proposed child labour laws will give workers under 18 years of age access to protections through the NSW Industrial Relations Commission," Mr Iemma said.

"That means that where the Commission finds a young person has been unfairly dismissed by an employer, it will be able to reinstatement them.

"This is an important protection that gives more than 150,000 young people more security in their employment.

Mr Iemma said that amending the Local Government Act would protect the sick and long service leave entitlements of the State's 50,000 council workers.

"Childcare workers, lifeguards, librarians, gardeners, road workers and garbage collectors from 152 councils across the State will benefit from these changes."

The amendments follow changes to the Industrial Relations Act in March which allowed councils to opt out of Work Choices and use the NSW Industrial Relations Commission," Mr Iemma said.

The Iemma Government has already acted to protect hard working families by:

* spearheading a High Court challenge to have the unfair Work Choices legislation overturned

* passing new laws protecting NSW frontline public servants, including nurses, ambulance offices and TAFE teachers.

* drafting new legislation to protect injured workers

* introducing new laws to protect young people

* amending the Local Government Act to protect the conditions of council workers

* doubling the small claims limit for unpaid workers; and

* strengthening the powers of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission

good news for workers remaining in the NSW System

Workers who remain in the NSW industrial relations system will have the maximum small claims limit they could make for unpaid wages, doubled.

Changes to the NSW Industrial Relations Act mean the limit can be increased from $10,000 to $20,000.

Workers caught under the unfair Work Choices regime can also take small claims cases to local courts in NSW, but they are limited to an amount of only $10,000.

Given Work Choices allows unscrupulous employers to exploit workers, it is important that employees in the Federal system also have greater access to small claims services.

Being able to make a small claims application is an important option for workers seeking early payment of unpaid wages.

For workers still in the NSW system, these matters can be heard before courts and the NSW Industrial Relations Commission, making them more accessible and less formal.

As legal representation is not required, disputes can be resolved more quickly and are less costly. This system provides a legal remedy that maintains a real level of protection for workers in the fair NSW industrial relations system.

Iemma Government supporting rural businesses and workers

A package of new initiatives to assist rural employers to better understand workplace rights and obligations has been announced by the NSW Government.

The 'Working on the Land' program provides industry specific support and assistance to meet the needs of rural business operators.

Inspectors from the Office of Industrial Relations will be talking to farmers and growers around the State offering information and advice aimed at helping them meet  workplace obligations to their workers.

In the 2005/2006 financial year, Office of Industrial Relations inspectors recovered more than $1.3 million in back pay for rural workers.

"Often the problems of workers not being paid their correct entitlements are the result of a genuine oversight"

John Della Bosca

Since 1996, $30 million has been recovered for NSW workers throughout the State.

In the six months period since the introduction of Work Choices, an outstanding $2 million has been recovered and paid back to workers.

The new initiatives include a  'Working on the Land' telephone advisory service providing personalised advice, a website providing a 'one stop access point' and information including rural awards and free seminars.

Business owners can also request a visit by an Office of Industrial Relations inspector who will work with them to check that the correct workplace practises are being carried out and respond to any questions the employer or their workers may have.

The 'Working on the Land' program is part of the ongoing commitment by the NSW Government to maintain fair and productive workplaces.

'Working on the Land' can be found at

www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au

or phone 131 628

NSW Government Managing driver fatigue

The NSW Government will set up a taskforce to combat the use of illicit drugs by long distance truck drivers.

The announcement comes following the release of a study commissioned by NSW Health which found:

* 1 in 5 five truck drivers are using illegal drugs to stay awake on long trips

* More than half of the truck drivers surveyed used stimulants at some stage during their driving career

* Another 25% had used them in the past six months

* Drivers using drugs are driving longer hours per week and are more likely to be paid per load or per trip

These results are extremely disturbing and the introduction of the Commonwealth's Work Choices legislation is set to further compound the problem for drivers.

While the NSW Government is focussed on driving home the safety messages to the industry, Work Choices allows AWA's to make drivers work longer hours and longer distances to earn the same amount.

Drivers already face pressure from their employers to meet unrealistic timetables and the Commonwealth's harsh legislation will mean that safety on our roads will be further compromised.

Earlier this year the Iemma Government implemented legislation that requires  big companies to take some responsibility for how their goods are being transported.

Employers are now required to have Driver Fatigue Management Plans in place, covering trip schedules and driver rosters, driver training, loading and unloading schedules.

Managing driver fatigue is a responsibility that extends beyond the driver and new safety measures which include the random roadside drug testing laws, will improve safety in the long haul trucking industry and therefore the entire NSW community.

Measures supporting the  new trucking fatigue laws

* WorkCover conducting an extensive awareness campaign to highlight the new requirements

(2,500 members of the industry attending seminars conducted by NSW Road Transport Association and the Transport Workers Union)

* WorkCover writing to trucking operators to ensure they are aware of their obligations.

* A verification program has commenced where WorkCover inspectors visit trucking operators through rural, regional and metropolitan NSW.

* A WorkCover-funded hotline for drivers and freight companies attracted 6,300 callers.

Fact sheets on the fatigue regulations have been placed on the WorkCover website www.workcover.nsw.gov.au