Just an update on a previous news item regarding the Information Technology Industry Award on Sumea...
GameSlaves.org tells of the coming wage changes by law for programmers in the field of IT, including game programmers. The changes mean that game programmers in Australia will be fairly compensated for overtime work, and entry level programmers get a fairer wage. If it is indeed true, the implications for the local industry could be enormous. From GameSlaves.org....On January 1, 2005, the Information Technology Industry Award becomes "common rule".
This means:
- All programmers will have to be paid minimum rates according to their qualifications and experience. Any programmers currently on very low pay will be entitled by law to an instant pay rise next month.- Programmers must now be paid for any overtime they do beyond the 38 hour standard working week. Your employer will have to pay you for each extra hour at 1.5 times your hourly rate - unless your salary is already high enough to cover this.
Tim Richards (game industry Lawyer and Editor of GDAA Newsletter, and Gamenews.com.au) has posted in the forum to let us know what the deal is with all this. Thanks Tim!
Tim - I thought I would bring some closure to this issue. It is for real. An industrial award is typically only applicable to companies/entities stated in the award. The company/entity needs to be roped into the award in some way for it to apply. The award mentioned in this forum has existed for a while and has several companies/entities listed. However the news is that the award has come into blanket force in Victoria; it doesn?t matter if the Victorian based company/entity has been roped-into the award or not.
The Australian Industrial Relations Commission on the 18 November 2004 declared the ?Information Technology Industry (Professional Employees) Award 2001? as a common rule for the Information Technology industry in Victoria. The award covers: IT engineers, or general IT professionals (those who work in the IT industry with tasks that fall within the definition of IT industry in the Declaration). The Commission has this power under the Workplace Relations Amendment (Improved Protection for Victorian Workers) Act 2003 (a Commonwealth Act) and complimentary Victorian Legislation.
This impacts Victorian companies with employees not subject to existing awards and importantly, employment terms must meet the awards. So, what does it mean ? it means the minimum weekly award wage for a programmer straight out of a three year Bachelor of IT degree, based on my understanding of the documents, is $663.50, or $34502, plus super. It also means there are minimum ?allowable matters? such as annual leave days and sick leave days.
Links:
Declaration
http://www.airc.gov.au/awardsandorders/html/PR953298.htm
Award
http://www.wagenet.gov.au/WageNet/Search/view.asp?docid=249170&query=&page=0&quickview=Y
Good work to everybody