Labour notes

South Australian Nurses have launched an enterprise bargaining 
campaign focusing on family friendly initiatives to increase 
recruitment and improve retention. The claim includes greater 
access to childcare, family friendly rosters, and improved access 
to further education and training. It also seeks a special 10 per 
cent recruitment and retention payment in addition to a four 
percent pay rise every year for the next three years. Australian 
Nursing Federation Branch Secretary Lee Thomas said, "If we don't 
attract more nurses, by 2006, figures suggest that there will be 
a nursing shortage of 1500, which equates to the current nursing 
complement at the Royal Adelaide Hospital."

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The ACTU is seeking a determination from the International Labour 
Organisation as to whether the Howard Government's Building and 
Construction Industry Improvement Bill contravenes Australia's 
international human rights obligations. "The Howard Government is 
proposing a new law that would infringe on the basic freedoms of 
Australian workers by seriously restricting the ability of 
building workers to bargain collectively for improvements to 
wages and conditions", ACTU President Sharan Burrow said. "

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The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union has taken action against 
the Saba fashion label in the Federal Court. According to the 
union Saba failed to comply with out-worker provisions in the 
federal Clothing Trades Award. The union visited the fashion 
warehouse in late 2002 and found that Saba had failed to register 
with it and to prove its out workers received award pay and 
conditions. The union has also taken action against 30 other 
companies, including Rip Curl, Laura Ashley, Lotus Clothing, Puma 
and Teena Varigos with all but Saba and Lotus Clothing settling.