Industrial Relations Act 1999
An Act relating to industrial relations in Queensland, and for other purposes
Chapter 1 Preliminary
1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the Industrial Relations Act 1999 .
2 Commencement
(1) Section 744 commences, or is taken to have commenced, on 1 July 1999.(2) The remaining provisions of this Act commence on a day to be fixed by proclamation.
3 Principal object of this Act
The principal object of this Act is to provide a framework for industrial relations that supports economic prosperity and social justice by—(a) providing for rights and responsibilities that ensure economic advancement and social justice for all employees and employers; and(b) providing for an effective and efficient economy, with strong economic growth, high employment, employment security, improved living standards, low inflation and national and international competitiveness; and(c) preventing and eliminating discrimination in employment; and(d) ensuring equal remuneration for men and women employees for work of equal or comparable value; and(e) helping balance work and family life; and(f) promoting the effective and efficient operation of enterprises and industries; and(g) ensuring wages and employment conditions provide fair standards in relation to living standards prevailing in the community; and(h) promoting participation in industrial relations by employees and employers; and(i) encouraging responsible representation of employees and employers by democratically run organisations and associations; and(j) promoting and facilitating the regulation of employment by awards and agreements; and(k) meeting the needs of emerging labour markets and work patterns; and(l) promoting and facilitating jobs growth, skills acquisition and vocational training through apprenticeships, traineeships and labour market programs; and(m) providing for effective, responsive and accessible support for negotiations and resolution of industrial disputes; and(n) assisting in giving effect to Australia’s international obligations in relation to labour standards; and(o) promoting collective bargaining and establishing the primacy of collective agreements over individual agreements.
4 Definitions
The dictionary in schedule 5 defines particular words used in this Act.
5 Who is an employee
An employee is—(a) a person employed in a calling on wages or piecework rates; or(b) a person whose usual occupation is that of an employee in a calling; or(c) a person employed in a calling, even though—(i) the person is working under a contract for labour only, or substantially for labour only; or(ii) the person is a lessee of tools or other implements of production, or of a vehicle used to deliver goods; or(iii) the person owns, wholly or partly, a vehicle used to transport goods or passengers; or(d) a person who is a member of a class of persons declared to be employees under section 275 ; or(e) each person, being 1 of 4 or more persons who are, or claim to be, partners working in association in a calling or business; or(f) for proceedings for payment or recovery of amounts—a former employee; or(g) an outworker; or(h) an apprentice or…