well, at least the system works. that system, anyway. we simply chose the wrong
system.



> Tom Northey <tn@...> wrote:
>
> Mudgee abattoir workers will be paid **today** (14 Nov 03) by GEERS,
> before
> the administration of the abattoir has concluded (so DEWR doesn't
> know if
> the outcome will satisfy GEERS operational arrangements). This is
> after NSW
> govt rushed through special legislation to make the employees
> priority
> creditors (originially the NSW legislation for council workers said
> employees were not priority creditors). Workers will get
> approximately 80%
> of entitlements, and they will be paid approx 2 months (yes two
> months) of
> the abattoir going into administration (the abattoir went into
> administration on 9 Sep 03 - yes that's this year!).
>
> It's not what you know, it's who you know. Deputy Prime Minister and
> Member
> for Gwydir, John Anderson, is the local member for Mudgee.
>
> So make sure your next employer is the PM's brother (National
> Textiles
> workers got 100% of entitlements) or the local member is the deputy
> PM.
>
> ****GEERS flowing today
> Friday, 14 November 2003
> Mudgee Guardian
> http://tinyurl.com/uxn1 or
>
> Former abattoir workers who have applied for assistance under the
> Federal
> Government's General Employees Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme
> (GEERS)
> and have been approved will have their benefits deposited into their
> bank
> accounts today (Friday).
> A spokesperson for receiver Steve Parbery said Parbery and his staff
> had
> worked around the clock since receiving $3.6 million from the Federal
> Government earlier this week so workers could gain access to the
> payment
> today.
> "To my knowledge not all workers have made application for GEERS and
> any
> former worker who has not completed the application is encouraged to
> do so
> as soon as possible," the spokesperson said.
> The announcement from the receiver follows a press release from
> Deputy Prime
> Minister John Anderson's office Thursday saying $3.6 million had been
> transferred to Parbery.
> In other abattoir news a spokesperson said the extended time for
> bidding to
> purchase the abattoir ended Wednesday November 12.
>
>
> ****Federal Government Helps Mudgee Abattoir Workers
> 12 Nov 2003
> DEWR
> http://tinyurl.com/uxnz or
>
> Joint Media Release
> The Hon John Anderson MP
> The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional
> Services
> The Hon Kevin Andrews MP
> Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister
> Assisting the
> Prime Minister for the Public Service
>
> THE Australian Government has today provided more than $3.6 million
> for
> former employees of the Mudgee Regional Abattoir.
> Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Gwydir John Anderson and
> Minister for
> Employment and Workplace Relations Kevin Andrews announced the money
> had
> been given to the insolvency practitioner to be passed to the
> workers.
>
> The $3.6 million was paid out under the Australian Government's
> General
> Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS).
>
> "This is great news for the 230 former workers, their families and
> the
> community and follows my representations to the Federal Minister
> (Employment
> and Workplace Relations) in September," Mr Anderson said.
>
> "Providing the GEERS safety net assistance to the workers of the
> County
> Council owned abattoir was originally in doubt due to a legal
> loophole in
> the NSW Local Government Act.
>
> "But after discussions between the Australian and NSW Governments,
> the NSW
> Government agreed to amend the loophole to include insolvency
> provisions and
> allow for GEERS payments."
>
> Mr Andrews said the insolvency practitioner managing the winding up
> of the
> abattoirs, Mr Steve Parbery of Prentice Parbery Barilla, will
> distribute the
> $3.6 million.
>
> "Employers are responsible for employee entitlements," Mr Andrews
> said.
>
> "However, the Australian Government was the first to introduce a
> safety net
> scheme protecting workers who lose their jobs and their entitlements
> due to
> their employer's insolvency.
>
> "More than $125 million in GEERS payments have been provided to more
> than
> 12,500 Australians.
>
> "More than 81 per cent of GEERS recipients have received all their
> outstanding wages, annual leave, long service leave, pay in lieu of
> notice
> and redundancy entitlements."
>
> For more details about the Australian Government's employee
> entitlements
> safety net schemes go to www.workplace.gov.au.
> For media inquiries, contact
> Clare Siddins Mr Andersons office 0427 200 674
> Felicity Dargan Minister Andrews office 0409 550 446
>
>
> ****Ex abattoir workers enjoy partial entitlements win
> ABC Radio
> 13 Nov 2003
> http://abc.net.au/news/australia/nsw/archive/metnsw-13nov2003-4.htm
>
> Former employees from the Mudgee abattoir in central western New
> South Wales
> should have at least part of what they are owed in their bank
> accounts by
> the end of the week.
>
> The 230 workers lost their jobs when the abattoir shut in September.
>
> The Deputy Prime Minister and Member for Gwydir, John Anderson, says
> $3.6
> million has now been made available to the workers under the Federal
> Government's General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme.
>
> "I'm very glad now that this matter's been resolved well ahead of
> Christmas," he said.
>
> "It's a bit of good news in the tragedy of the jobs lost. I should
> say at
> the outset though that I sincerely hope that a purchaser for the
> abattoir
> will be found and that jobs will re-emerge in the future."
>
> Mr Anderson says money will be put into employee bank accounts as
> quickly as
> possible.
>
> "As soon as they can get their applications into the administration,
> be
> verified that they are who they say they are and the match be worked
> out...then I think that can happen pretty well immediately," he said.
>
> The southern region manager for the United Services Union, Graham
> Kelly,
> says while workers are still owed more than $1 million, it is good
> news the
> workers will finally get some money.
>
> "They're working very feverishly to get that money into the banks by
> Friday," he said.
>
> "The only hiccup that may occur is that there may be some bank
> details from
> former employees that may be outstanding...so it is great news and
> everyone
> is entitled to feel pleased with what we've achieved.
>
> "I'd like to thank the ratepayers and all those people in the Mudgee
> Shire
> that have stood by those abattoir workers.
>
> "It's been a great effort and certainly we'll be holding a big family
> day
> around the 14th of September to get together and celebrate our
> entitlement
> win."
>
>
> Reminder: this message is not private. Anyone (including non-members
> of this group) can read this message in the archives.
>
> Useful links:
> OT Mushrooms home page (previous messages)
> http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/otmushrooms/
> Public file archives (Files for download)
> http://au.geocities.com/nick4mony/otm/index.htm
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> otmushrooms-unsubscribe@...
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
> http://au.docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
> http://mudgee.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&c
> ategory=abattoir%20uncertainty&story_id=267603&y=2003&m=11
> http://www.dewr.gov.au/ministersAndMediaCentre/mediacentre/detail.asp
> ?keywords=&title=&creator=&type=&month=&year=&index=&show=2781