Ms Bryant said that Wesfarmers was concerned about Labor’s second tranche of IR reforms but “particularly, frankly, opening up the topic of casual employment, which had been agreed in the courts”. However, she said the detail is yet to emerge on Labor’s policy and argued there needed to be “some genuine consultation with the business around that”. “So we’re working as closely and collaboratively as we can as part of that legislation design.”

“The uncertainty for us is … will there be a blanket approach to that actually does not take into account the actual structure of a particular workforce, and the impact that that will have,” she said. BHP has about 46,000 employees globally, about 30,000 of whom are in Australia.

The controversial casual and labour hire reforms are set to be legislated in the second half of the year and Mr Burke has already started consultations on the changes.īHP’s Ms Vodopija said the mining giant has an internal cohort of 4000 permanent employees that it deploys to mining sites on top of relying on labour hire agencies for parts of the business. Wesfarmers chief human resources officer Jenny Bryant, who manages 120,000 staff, said the retailer also had “major concerns” that incoming legislation on casuals could prevent workers and employees from maintaining flexible work arrangements. Unions argue the rules should cover such arrangements, which are also in place at Qantas, which would require workers be paid the same rates and conditions as direct employees. Natalie BoogīHP is concerned the policy could extend to its internal subsidiaries that deploy staff to various units as a labour hire firm would. Two of the country’s biggest companies have raised major concerns about the Albanese government’s second tranche of workplace relations reforms, warning restrictions on casuals and labour hire could disrupt their business.īHP chief people officer Jad Vodopija told The Australian Financial Review Workforce Summit the mining giant was actively engaging with Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke to push against the adoption of a “blanket approach” for the government’s same job, same pay policy for labour hire workers.īHP chief people officer Jad Vodopija said the government should have “genuine” consultation with the business on new labour hire laws.

Best wav tag editor