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Toyota seeks labour reforms in court

Federal Court documents reveal Toyota is seeking to cut nearly 30 benefits for workers at its Victorian plant, including pay of double-time-and-a-half on Sundays.

The carmaker’s enterprise agreement, which covers roughly 2,000 workers at its Altona plant, is due to expire in March 2015.

Toyota wants to alter the agreement to help pay for wage rises due next year.

The Federal Court ruled last week that Toyota could not go ahead with an employee vote on the changes, and the carmaker says it is considering appealing the ruling.

However, the court documents gives an insight into the kind of cuts to entitlements the carmaker is aiming for.

Toyota wants to cut what it calls “out-dated and uncompetitive terms and conditions”, which also include not having to provide medical certificates for five days of sick leave.

The Federal Court documents show Toyota also wants to scrap an additional payment made to workers who are required to carry out work considered to be “unusually dirty or offensive”.

Toyota also wants to shorten the plants Christmas shutdown period from 21 days to the eight days, lower the number of paid training days for staff each year, a scrap a four-hour paid leave allowance for employees who donate blood.

The company has warned Holden’s decision to close its Australian operations in 2017 will put “unprecedented pressure” on its ability to make cars in Australia.

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