Draughting Employees - Which Award?
The ACA has received a number of enquiries recently about the classification of draughting employees, and it appears that different organisations are providing different advice.
The advice from the ACA employment advisor, Michael Corrigan, is that draughting employees come under the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award. This advice has been provided consistently over the last decade and is based on previous award coverage and on Modern Award coverage.
Michael reiterates this advice and provides the following context and background.
The introduction of the Modern Awards in 2010 ensured that awards were simplified and put all the different state and federal awards into the one document.
As part of this process a series of awards that classified draughting employees were incorporated into the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award. These Awards were as follows:
- Draftpersons, Production Planners and Engineering Assistants Award – State 2002,
- Draughting, Production Planners and Technical Workers Award 1998
- Draughtsmen’s, Tracers’, Planners’ and Technical Officers’ Award 1979
- Draughtspersons Planners Technical Officers (Consolidated) Award
- Draughtspersons, Planners and Technical Officers (Australian Capital Territory) Award 2000
- Draughting and Technical Employees (Private Industry) Award
- Draughting Employees, Planners, Technical Employees, &c (State) Award
The Modern Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award mentions draughtspeople a number of times.
- Clause 3.1 clearly describes tracers and draughtspersons a employees who are or who are mainly engaged in making drawings from sketches or other data.
- Clause 4.9 (c) lists the classifications and includes Draughting employees in Clause 4.9 (c) iii.
- Clause 38.6 of the award again mentions Draughting employees. Employees engaged in the technical field of work, technical workers, tracers and draughtspersons, production planners, trainee engineers and trainee scientists must be allowed a paid 10 minute morning tea rest period at a time fixed by the employer.
In 2012 the ACT Chamber of Commerce attempted to have draughting employees classification inserted into the Architects Award. The Association of Consulting Architects successful opposed this position and a decision was handed down on this application on 7 December 2012. (Read the full decision here.)
Commissioner Roe’s decision in this case supports the interpretation provided to the ACA. He states:
“I am satisfied that the Manufacturing Award is both an industry and occupational award that covers draughtspersons irrespective of the industry within which they work. The coverage clause provides:
‘4.9 Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations means:
(a) the following industries and parts of industries:
(b) the provision of any of the operations or services set out in clause 4.9(a) on a contract basis by one business to another business, where the first business is independent of the second business.
(c) the following occupations:
(i) maintenance employees in the engineering streams.
(ii) technical workers.
(iii) draughtspersons.
(iv) production planners.
(v) trainee engineers.
(vi) trainee scientists.
(vii) engine drivers.’”
I trust this clarifies any misunderstandings and assure you the correct award is the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations.