Dredging Industry Award

Coverage depends on the dredging operation and the stated exclusions, not simply on the fact that the work happens on or around a vessel.

• Check that the work is dredging or sluicing work within the award definition.
• Review the listed maritime and contractor exclusions before assuming this is the right award.
• Apply the same coverage check to on-hire arrangements and trainees.

Written engagement and classification records matter under this award because the hours, casual rules and minimum rates all depend on them.

• Tell employees at engagement whether they are full-time, part-time or casual.
• Give part-time employees written ordinary hours and start and finish times, or written rostered periods of duty.
• Advise employees in writing of their classification and any later change, using the skill level needed for the principal functions of the job.

Casual dredging work is tightly controlled. If the business wants short term flexibility, it still needs to respect the 4 week cap and the special pay timing rules.

• A casual engagement cannot run for more than 4 weeks, and the employee must be told that on the first day.
• Casuals are paid at the end of each engagement unless weekly or fortnightly payment is agreed.
• Each casual attendance carries a minimum payment for 2 hours of work.

Roster design turns on vessel status. A template that works for one dredging project can be wrong for another if the vessel's operational status changes.

• For a fully operational vessel, day workers work 12 hour duties on each of 7 days per week between 6.00 am and 6.00 pm, and shiftworkers alternate one week of day shifts with one week of night shifts.
• For a vessel that is not fully operational, ordinary hours may be worked between 8.00 am and 4.30 pm for up to 8 hours a day Monday to Friday, or between 7.00 am and 5.00 pm when not engaged in dredging duties.
• Work outside the applicable ordinary hours model moves into overtime, and meal break and maximum hours rules also need to be applied to the operation being run.

Vessel allowances are a major part of this award. They reflect how the work is performed and where the employee is living or operating, not just the classification label.

• Review whether dual certificate, confined area, hard-lying, shipkeeping, accommodation or victualling allowances are triggered.
• The dual certificate allowance is all-purpose, but other allowance categories operate differently, so payroll codes should not be guessed.
• Check live aboard and port arrangements before assuming the minimum rate is the whole answer.

Do not fold overtime, public holiday work and shift loading into one generic maritime rule. The award treats each of them separately.

• Overtime outside ordinary hours is paid at 200% on Monday to Sunday, except public holidays.
• Work on a public holiday is paid at 250% with a minimum payment for 4 hours.
• A 30% shiftwork loading applies to a shift that starts at or after 6.00 pm Monday to Friday, and a further 15% applies if a 3 shift per day system is worked.

PR799365, PR799520

The current consolidated award incorporates these recent variation determinations. Use the consolidated wording when checking any affected clause, schedule, rate or allowance.

Affected: 15 - Minimum rates, 17 - Allowances, Schedule A - Summary of Hourly Rates of Pay, Schedule B - Summary of Monetary Allowances