AREEA’s Employment Charter sets the foundation for the Group’s industrial relations policy positions and advocacy.  It also promotes best practice in employee relations, workplace culture and people management.

The Charter was developed in consultation with the AREEA Board Reference Group – comprising senior employee / workplace relations managers from across AREEA’s membership.

The AREEA Employment Charter is as follows.

The AREEA Employment Charter has been designed to facilitate the development of world competitive enterprises within Australia. This Charter requires responsible and effective leadership that ensures that employees:

1. Are productivity engaged;
2. Feel their work is valued; and
3. Are treated fairly

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For the employment relationship to flourish this Charter outlines the required entitlements and accountabilities as follows:

1. All employees are entitled to:
   • Work in an environment were effective standards of health and safety are in place;
   • Be free from workplace harassment and unlawful discrimination;
   • Have access to appropriate means for internal review of individual concerns or complaints without fear of recrimination; and
   • Not join a union or join a union with the legal capacity to represent their industrial interests.
2. It is the employer’s accountability to:
   • Provide remuneration and conditions of employment that are fair and reflect community and industry standards;
   • Ensure that individual employees have a clear understanding of work requirements and have accurate and timely information about how they are performing in their role with scope for recognition of that performance; and
   • Work with all employees honestly and fairly and promote a shared understanding of business direction and performance through managerial leadership and open communications.
3. It is the employee’s accountability to:
   • Work safely;
   • Act with integrity and honesty; and
   • Perform their duties lawfully and effectively.

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The legislative framework must facilitate genuine choice for employees and employers as to what form of employment regulation is used in the workplace. It is the role and responsibility of Australia’s lawmakers and regulators to provide an industrial relations framework that:

1. Supports and facilitates the competitiveness of Australian businesses, including the ability to attract job-creating capital from the global investment community;
2. Sets a clear safety net providing world-class minimum standards and conditions that can be easily understood and adhered to by all;
3. Provides options for employers and employees to negotiate and engage in employment relationships individually and/or collectively, with or without third party representation, as per the wishes of the participants;
4. Provides real avenues for individuals to opt-out of collective agreement making processes if they wish to do so; and
5. Reflects the contemporary nature of work in the 21st century, including that employment comes in multiple and varied forms (i.e. direct employment, labour hire, independent contracting, permanent, part-time and casual), all of which are equally legitimate and mutually inclusive in modern workplaces.

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The workplace envisaged by AREEA can be realised by a number of pathways.

Where the necessary features are in place through the development of the internal systems and the leadership capability of the organisation, then employers and employees should be able to make a free and informed choice to work in an internally regulated environment, with limited external interference or constraint.