The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has authorised a further five years of collective bargaining between Victorian chicken growers and processors Baiada Poultry, Inghams Enterprises, Hazeldene Chicken Farm and Turi Foods. Chicken growers will be able to form bargaining groups according to which processor they supply in order to negotiate contracts.  The arrangements are voluntary for both processors and growers, and individuals may negotiate directly if they (or their processor) want... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission proposes to allow the Transport Workers Union of Australia SA/NT Branch to represent South Australian milk vendors in contract negotiations with dairy processors National Foods and Parmalat. Under the ACCC’s proposed decision, the TWU would bargain collectively* on behalf of vendors. The vendors buy milk from the processors to sell to shops and home-delivery customers or deliver it to major retailers, such as supermarket chains, for a fee from... ...Read more »

Small businesses thinking about entering into a collective bargaining arrangement can now gain a greater understanding into: the purpose of such an arrangement, how to lodge an agreement and the role of the ACCC in the process thanks to the release of a free booklet by the ACCC. The ‘Guide to Collective Bargaining Notifications’ can be accessed online via the ACCC website.  Read More →