Category Archives: Abolition Of Work

The controversial children and social work bill is dismantling the systems that promote strong, effective safeguarding. (Picture posed by model.) Photograph: Rex

A bad idea drawn up by Whitehall that has not been properly evaluated or impact-assessed. This was Lord Ramsbothams scathing verdict on clause 29 of the children and social work bill, the controversial provision allowing local authorities to opt out of legal obligations to vulnerable children.

Quite rightly, the government has abandoned that clause after a concerted campaign by childrens charities. But in the furore over clause 29, other equally misguided parts of the bill have escaped proper scrutiny.

Over the past five years, I have provided legal representation to girls and young women caught up in the child sexual exploitation scandals in Rochdale and elsewhere. In bringing legal cases, we are shining a light on the failings of agencies that were supposed to protect these young people. Some of these failings were attitudinal: the credibility of victims was too often assessed with reference to ill-informed stereotypes, such as the myth that sexually exploited children were making lifestyle choices. But a central problem was the failure of different agencies to work together: social workers did not listen to sexual health workers, and schools did not recognise the warning signs.

Given those past failings, it is heartening to see the progress now being made in many parts of the country towards more effective multi-agency responses to child sexual exploitation. But I am very concerned that one proposal in the children and social work bill to dispense with local safeguarding childrens boards (LSCBs) puts this progress in jeopardy.

The abolition of LSCBs is proposed in clauses 16 to 23 of the bill, after a review of their role was undertaken for the government by Alan Wood in May 2016. The suggestion is to replace the existing LSCB structure with new local safeguarding arrangements, the key feature of which is that there would be only three mandatory local safeguarding partners: the local authority, the local NHS clinical commissioning group and the local police force. These agencies could choose to involve others but there would be no statutory obligation to do so.

Lets recall what LSCBs are for: to coordinate local attempts to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, and to monitor and ensure the effectiveness of what its member organisations do, both individually and collectively. They scrutinise local organisations to ensure they are fulfilling their statutory obligations and, where mistakes are made, that lessons are learned.

Where multi-agency coordination has been inadequate the answer is to strengthen it, not reduce it

Importantly, LSCBs are independent of the agencies they coordinate. Even more importantly, LSCBs have drawn in partner organisations not previously involved in local safeguarding arrangements: sexual health services, youth offending teams, probation services, the voluntary sector and schools. This has been crucial; it is only recently, for example, that schools have started to become fully involved in tackling child sexual exploitation. Under the regime proposed in the new bill, I fear there may be no involvement of schools outside the local authority orbit such as academies and free schools and no effective monitoring of their safeguarding work where they do participate.

The bill is now more than half way through the parliamentary process, with royal assent likely in autumn 2017 subject to any change to the timetable caused by the general election. Looking at Woods report, which among other things highlighted the cost of LSCBs, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that their abolition is austerity driven.

That is not to dismiss the potential value of structural reform, but as a cross-party inquiry into social work reform suggested last year [pdf], improvements are more likely to come from concentrating on the basics, such as reducing caseloads. Where structural reforms are proposed, they need proper analysis first. It would be far better to let the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse examine this issue properly than rush into yet another legislative change that has not been properly evaluated or impact-assessed.

LSCBs are not perfect. They could and should have done more to challenge some of the agencies involved in recent child sexual exploitation scandals. But where multi-agency coordination has been inadequate the answer is to strengthen it, not reduce it. Strong, effective safeguarding arrangements do not simply happen; they demand commitment and collaboration. With the abolition of LSCBs, we may be about to lose that. The real losers will be our most vulnerable children.

Richard Scorer is head of abuse law at Slater & Gordon Lawyers

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The government is jeopardising progress on child sexual exploitation - The Guardian

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has signalled he is willing to compromise on the Turnbull government's toughforeign labour regime, assuring universities they won't be hamstrung by newwork experience requirements.

Vice-chancellors, academics and the powerful Group of Eight universities were alarmed the Turnbull government's abolition of the 457 visa may prevent them hiring overseas researchers straight out of a PhD program.

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Antique dealer, jockey and judge are just some of the occupations now unavailable to foreign workers after the Turnbull government announced the abolition of the 457 visa program.

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Immigration Minister Peter Dutton has stepped in to defend Tony Abbott, calling on his Liberal Party colleagues to show respect to the former prime minister. Vision: ABC TV/Insiders.

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In a fiery interview on ABC television on Sunday, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton declared 'there are facts that I have that you don't' as he refused to resile from his assertions that appeared to blame asylum seekers for last week's violent outburst on Manus Island. Vision: ABC TV/Insiders.

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In a joint press conference with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, US Vice President Mike Pence says the Trump administration will honour a controversial refugee deal with Australia - even though it does not 'admire' the deal.

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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has posted this video on Facebook saying his government is standing up for Australian jobs and values.

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Mr Pence thanked Australia for calling on China to exert more pressure on North Korea to ends its nuclear weapons program and he says the Trump administration and its allies will "deal" with North Korea if China does not.

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The US Vice-President has arrived in Sydney for talks with Malcolm Turnbull, with growing military tensions on the Korean peninsula expected to dominate his three-day visit to Australia.

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Liz Kaelin and Annie Parker are the human faces of how the crackdown on 457 visas is hurting Australian technology entrepreneurs.

Antique dealer, jockey and judge are just some of the occupations now unavailable to foreign workers after the Turnbull government announced the abolition of the 457 visa program.

In a letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Go8 chairman Peter Hoj warned the changes could be "extremely damaging" to Australia's reputation for welcoming international academics.

Particular concern surrounded the introduction of a two-year work experience prerequisitefor temporary work visas, which universities feared would stop them hiring researchers who had spent their adulthood studying.

A spokeswoman for Mr Dutton told Fairfax Media it was not the government's intention to stop universities bringing talent into the country, and the new rules would be flexible.

"Universities will continue to be able to attract the best and brightest minds from Australia and the world," she said.

"The government recognises that work experience may take different forms for different occupations, such as research and teaching experience accumulated by PhDs.

"The government will work with the university sector to define what constitutes work for this cohort."

Belinda Robinson, chief executive of peak body Universities Australia, welcomed the development and said high-level talks with the government indicated it was prepared to compromise.

The election of Donald Trump as US President, and the fallout from Brexit, have prompted scores of overseas academics to express interest in moving to Australian universities.

Ms Robinson said it was "absolutelycrucial" Australia stood ready to exploit "the window of opportunity that we have" to attract new talent.

"We want to encourage them, not deter them," she said.

Sydney University quantum physicist MichaelBiercuk, who came to Australia on a 457 visa and has been a vocal critic of the changes, said the newfound flexibility was "a great first step in alleviating our concerns".

The other major sticking point with universities is the government's intention to exclude the job of university lecturer froma rebadged Medium and Long-Term Strategic Skills List.

That means from March next yearacademics would be ineligible for a four-year temporary work visa andthe popular Employer Nomination Scheme, which grants successful applicants permanent residency in Australia.

The lure of permanent residency was a vital incentive for senior academics who were interested in working at Australian universities, the sector has told the government.

Vicki Thomson, chief executive of the Go8, said this needed to be fixed quickly "so as not to send the wrong signals into the global market place".

Earlier in the weekMr Dutton said temporary work visas, including for university lecturers, must target areas where there was a genuine skill shortage in Australia.

"Hopefully that lecturer then provides a passage of those skills to people under the lecturer and we train up and provide more support around training a local workforce," he told ABC Radio.

"So that when the position is next advertised or when we need to expand that business or that employment arrangement at the university, we can have those people that have been locally trained."

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Peter Dutton signals room to move on work visas for universities - The Sydney Morning Herald

Starts at 60

Aussie dreams have not turned sour yet, say experts The Hindu As worried parents reach out to education consultants and immigration experts to understand the dynamics of the 457 visa abolition, experts say international students who wish to look for jobs after their education fall under the 485 post-study work ... Meet the people in your city that could be affected by the ... - ABCABC Online all 23 news articles »

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Aussie dreams have not turned sour yet, say experts - The Hindu

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton says definitions will be broadened to allow universities to hire overseas PhD graduates.

The federal government has offered an olive branch to universities angered by last week's abolition of 457 visas which restricted their ability to hire talented overseas researchers.

Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton has told universities the government will take a broad view of what is defined as work experience so that newly-graduated PhD students who lack conventional work experience will continue to be able to get visas.

The government's new visa rules for overseas workersrequire them to have at least two years' work experience, something that newly-minted PhD graduates generally don't have.

"The government recognises that work experience may take different forms for different occupations, such as research and teaching experience accumulated by PhDs. The government will work with the university sector to define what constitutes work for this cohort," Mr Dutton's office said.

The statement goes some way to mollifying universities who were up in arms last week at the impact the new skilled migration rules will have on their ability to hire overseas talent which is critical in this age of globalised research.

"The comments suggest a genuine willingness to find a way through on the specific visa issues for the higher education sector," Belinda Robinson, CEO of Universities Australia, said.

"There are a number of options on how you might resolve each of those specific elements or questions and those discussions are continuing."

But the government has not resolved universities' other major objection to the new visa rules the fact that overseas academics and researchers whom they want to hire will no longer be able to be get four-year visas and a pathway to permanent residency.

The government has put the skill category of "university lecturer" among the 216 occupations which will have more restricted access to visas.

Researchers will only be able to get four-year visas if their specialist field falls into an area which is separately eligible for the longer visa.

"But there should be no doubt on how serious these issues are and how important it is to have them satisfactorily resolved as an urgent matter of priority," Ms Robinson said.

Universities are also very concerned about the impact of the visa crackdown on the international student market which continues to boom with the number of overseas students commencing courses this year (up to the end of February) 13 per cent higher than in 2016.

But the news that Australia is clamping down on work visas has been interpreted in Asian countries as a widespreadvisa restriction applying to students as well.

Last week New Zealand also announced a tightening on work visas, and Australia is now part of a general narrative that Western countries are rejecting skilled migrants and students.

The government's announcement has no direct impact on student visas and nor does it affect international students' post-study work rights, which allow a bachelor degree graduate to remain and work in Australia for two years after completing their course.

However, the abolition of 457 visas would affect students who want to stay on and seek permanent residency.

"The challenge for the government and brand Australia is to clarify that there is no impact on the student visa framework," said Phil Honeywood, CEO of the International Education Association of Australia.

Concerned by the overseas reaction, federal Education Minister Simon Birmingham tweeted on Friday: "Fact. Australia is open to educating the world."

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Dutton backs down to universities on hiring overseas PhDs - The Australian Financial Review

Rob Hango-Zada, co-Founder and co CEO of Shippit, Zhong Zheng - developer (and 457 holder) and William On co-founder and co-CEO of the company. "we just incentivising offshoring", says Hango-Zada

The federal government's abolition of the decades-old 457 visa system was first and foremost a piece of political theatre.

But it was the government's intense 'Australians first' rhetoric and its swathe of new limitations, caveats and seemingly arbitrary occupation lists that threw employers into tumult and uncertainty.

Business leaders and migration experts say the Coalition's position marks a significant shift in the way the country views skilled labour and comes at a critical time, when the economy is seeking to attract talent in its shift from a manufacturing economy to a services economy.

Mike Cannon-Brookes, co-founder of leading technology company Atlassian, told AFR Weekend it was the government's rhetoric, rather than the visa changes themselves, that threatened to create a "brain of drain" of skilled foreign workers.

He said talented prospective hires were already anxiously querying "does Australia even want me?" and questioning whether to make the big trip overseas.

Rob Hango-Zada, co-CEO and co-founder of software start-up Shippit, which coordinates retail deliveries, said he already struggled to recruit quality, mid to senior level engineering talent in Australia.

"We're going through a transition phase. But with the dot-com bubble bursting in the early noughties, we've seen a decline in the number of engineering or computer science-focused majors and what that's has left us with now, going through a second boom, is a shortage of talent locally."

While he believed his business would be able to survive the changes - the most nominated ICT jobs are still among the eligible visa occupations - Hango-Zada said he was concerned about the broader statement the government was making on Australia's innovation agenda.

"If you look at web developers [a job no longer eligible for visas], if you remove that facility, then basically you're asking business owners to look at [sending work to] offshore based options if there is a local skills gap in web development.

"My concern is are we just incentivising offshoring rather than creating Australia as a destination for international skilled workers to fill gaps that we have."

The coalition's startling backflip on the issue, after years of championing a flexible visa system, combined with Labor's calling for greater restrictions, may overshadow the benefits the skilled worker visas offered the economy.

Australian National University researcher Henry Sherrell said while it should be remembered 457 visa workers make up less than 1 per cent of the labour force, any restrictions could have flow-on effects on productivity.

Skilled visa holders earn an average $88,500 base salary and $92,000 total remuneration, which was above average full time earnings.

"As a proxy, that salary shows they are highly skilled and valued by their employers," he said.

A Migration Council report in 2013 also found that temporary migrants didn't just fill skills shortages but also improved skills deficits by training local workers.

More than three-quarters or 76 per cent of 457 visa holders said in a survey they helped to train or develop other workers.

The report concluded the 457 visa program was "critical in keeping us competitive in the era of international knowledge wars, when industry innovation is global".

"These type of things are not on their own going to kill labour productivity in Australia," Sherrell said.

"But when you add them up we're heading in the wrong direction in terms of how we want to compete on this, especially if you look at the share of jobs which are moving away from manufacturing to a service-based economy."

Hango-Zada said, while costly to enlist through the visa system, Shippit's 457 visa-sponsored technician had "paid back in multiples" through increased productivity and a better team culture.

"What 457 visas enabled us to do is bring that resource in house, help that member become a real contributing member of the team and absolutely help to change our business and take us to the next stage of growth."

For businesses operating in global market, foreign workers also offered real benefits beyond just a politically correct workplace.

"Working with a multicultural and diverse workplace is important now, especially when we're opening up trade lanes with south-east Asian markets and international markets," Hango-Zada said.

Perhaps the biggest change by by far was removal of the path to permanent residency for the new two-year visa stream, which covers the bulk of occupations, from March 2018.

The 457 visa is one of the most common ways to permanent residency, making up about 40 per cent of all permanent skilled migration and 28 per cent of all permanent visas.

Out of 95,000 workers, about 38,000 used the 457 visa as path way to a permanent visa in 2015-16.

University of Sydney law professor Mary Crock said the removal of permanent residency was part of a broader trend across visa categories away from using the temporary migration system as a "try before you buy" system.

"That try-before-you-buy system was basically saying it makes good economic sense and good for interpersonal relations to have workers you know and can be trusted because you've seen how they operate."

But without a permanent path, companies could find essential skills taken away after only a few years or lose a valuable enticement.

The full effects of the government changes are yet to be determined, with more detail to be revealed in the budget.

What is certain, however, is the uncertainty will continue.

The government has already agreed to meet with universities after admitting that heavy restrictions on researchers were an "unintended consequence" of its changes.

Legal principal of BDO Migration Services, Maria Jockel, said the list of visa occupations was likely to become a "moving feast" as the government makes changes every six months.

"This means that this already extremely complex area of law will become even more complex and uncertain," she said.

The mass of red tape and dozens of limitations, including bans on companies with less than $1 million turnover, would also make it "very difficult if not impossible" for some small businesses to recruit particular foreign workers.

"The new concept of occupations and businesses which are subject to 'caveats' means each case must be assessed on its merits," Jockel said.

"A 'cookie cutter approach' is no longer possible."

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Abolition of 457s marks landmark shift in global war for talent - with a high price to Australia - The Australian Financial Review

Andrew Little's conundrum

Andrew Little cannot abolish the essential skills visa category, unless he comes up with a way to rapidly train thousands of Kiwis to work in areas where there are skill shortages.

If he abolishes the Working Holiday Scheme, then our friend nations will likely retaliate and prevent Kiwis from having working holidays too.

The Family/Spouse visa could be culled, but hed be breaking hearts across the globe, and if he abolishes the study-to-work scheme, that would have a serious impact on the number of international students coming to New Zealand universities and polytechnics.

The seasonal working visas are only five percent of the work category, and are a vital part of our role as a responsible Pacific neighbour.

Then theres the other category which is so complex, there cannot be a blanket abolition without breaching free trade deals, or regional agreements.

So what else could be cut?

Not much really, unless he wants to open up a can of diplomatic worms. He could ban Australians coming over - but imagine the effect that would have for Kiwis across the ditch when Australia retaliates with the same.

He could ban international students, but imagine the outrage from the tertiary sector when it loses its cash cows!

That leaves not much elseelse - he cant ban those on residents visas without human rights issues.

Labour is expected to announce a detailed policy on immigration later in the year.

The ball is in your court Mr Little - where will you make the cuts?

Lloyd is a political reporter for Newshub based in Wellington.

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Opinion: Which immigrants will Labour ban? | Newshub - Newshub

Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Arthur Sinodinos has told ABC radio he does not want see any unintended consequences trickle into Australia's tech sector as a result of the abolition of the current 457 visa program.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced he was scrapping the existing Temporary Work (Skilled) 457 visa on Tuesday, replacing it with a new Temporary Skill Shortage (TSS) visa in March 2018.

Currently, about 95,000 foreign workers use the 457 visa to gain employment in Australia.

The TSS visa program will comprise of two visa classes, Short-Term and Medium-Term, which will cover a foreign worker for two and four years respectively, with the latter reserved for more "critical" skills shortages. Additionally, applicants will be subjected to tightened English language and work experience tests, and must possess a clean criminal history. Applicants must also be under the age of 45.

Under the new visa scheme, 200 job categories have been reduced, impacting a handful of technology-related employment opportunities, including electronic engineering technicians, ICT support and test engineers, ICT support technicians, web developers, telecommunications cable jointers, and telecommunications technicians.

Speaking on ABC RN Drive on Thursday night, Sinodinos said he expects there to be further processes involved in rolling out the new visa schemes.

"I certainly will be encouraging the tech community to communicate with me about their issues to make sure that we're not throwing the baby out with the bath water in making these changes," he said.

"But please understand, every so often with government programs you have to go through a process of looking at them because they can get flabby over time, they can become outdated, there were circumstances over the last few years where there were blowouts in areas where clearly the skill levels had to be questioned."

With debate among the tech community already around some of the new measures, the minister said he is happy to engage in a dialogue with them.

"What I'm saying to the tech sector is that we don't want any unintended consequences with this and therefore I will engage in a dialogue with them to make sure we are not throwing the baby out with the bath water," he explained.

Focused on not throwing the proverbial baby out, Sinodinos said the specifics of the new visa scheme will take some time to bed down.

"But what's important about this is to understand that these changes will sharpen and make those programs more effective, but we're not throwing the baby out with the bath water, we're going to make sure that we need that are in short supply in Australia, particularly those skills that can supplement what we do here will still be able to be supplied through these sorts of arrangements," he told ABC.

"But at the same time we're putting an obligation on ourselves as a government and as a community to put more focus on training and providing the upgrading of skills of our own domestic workforce so they can fill more of these jobs."

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Canberra to hear out tech sector on 457 visa reform - ZDNet

Despite policy announcements and harsh rhetoric, Australia is not going to stop bringing in migrant workers anytime soon

Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull speaks during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Photo: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

"The 457 visa is abolished. It will be replaced by a new system that will be manifestly, rigorously, resolutely conducted in the national interest to put Australians and Australian jobs first". Malcolm Turnbull might as well have used the word "tremendously" when he made the announcement of his government's new policy: the abolition of the Temporary Work (Skilled) visa (subclass 457). It was, after all, his Donald Trump moment - or his Pauline Hanson moment, depending on which commentator you want to believe. It was certainly his Peter Dutton moment. A show of strength and determination, designed to send a message, but not to address a problem, pretty much the way immi.gov.au was replaced by border.gov.au, offering the same information.

It is on that website that one can find all the information needed about the 'abolition and replacement' of the 457 visa. So far, most reactions have been focusing on the 'abolition' part, while the main issue is the 'replacement' part. The 457 visa will be replaced by the Temporary Skills Shortage visa (as wishful-thinking a term as possible), which will be comprised of a short term stream of up to two years (renewed onshore once, before the holder goes abroad to reapply), and a medium term stream of up to four years (with permanent residency coming after three years). Which means that visa holders will have to wait longer. This may sound a lot, but if there is one thing you learn when you try to migrate, is to be patient and wait.

The main difference concerns the list of skills that the Australian government deems as being in shortage, albeit "temporarily". It seems that Australia does not need to bring over firefighters or electronic engineering technicians, but it does need bakers.

"They're on the list plainly because employers are saying they can't find Australians to do the work". And within this phrase lies everything one needs to know about the reforms - mainly, that they are not going to bear fruit. The government has not even been able to provide any estimate of the reduction of migrant entries that it expects under the new scheme. "There will be less and they will stay for less time", was the exact phrase of the PM. If it sounds vague and not very well thought through, it's because it is precisely that.

The 467 visa is being replaced because, apparently, "it has lost credibility", having been exploited by employers who use it to bring to the country cheap bakers (to state a random example).

The new visa will also be dependent on employers, who will define the needs of the market. So the same people who are to blame for the failure of 457 visa, will be in charge of the new visa - while the migrants will pay the price, by being denied entry.

What's more important is that the government boasts about the 'mandatory labour market testing', but then it hastily adds, in the same sentence: 'unless an international obligation applies'.

India is already looking into the matter 'in the context of trade negotiations', as reported by the ABC. The government should have checked which international trade agreement documents bear the signature of an Australian PM, before making all this noise about securing 'Australian jobs'. There are two ways to secure jobs: make provisions for growth, and in particular, to train the workforce, but these solutions are more demanding and complicated and difficult than blaming migrants and securing borders.

In the end, the whole idea of 'replacing 457 visa' with another scheme is nothing but an acceptance of the only thing that is certain: one way or another, Australia will continue importing workers. It's what made this country in the first place; it's what allowed its economy to flourish from the 1970s onwards, it is what made it richer. It is what Australia does. It doesn't matter if it's called 'temporary work', or 'temporary skills shortage', it's still a program that brings workers to the country.

They may need to learn how to bake first - because the government apparently is failing in its task to train bakers - but they will still come, as long as they speak English.

Because, if this reform is about anything, it is about expanding English language requirements, in regards to both work opportunities and citizenship eligibility.

This obsession with the English language has already caused backlash among different community groups. Social media was flooded with messages by indignant Australians stating that their parents helped the country thrive, working hard and paying taxes and making a contribution to society, despite having arrived without knowledge of English. They are right. This country was not built by English speakers. It was run by English speakers and still is. These are two different things. They should be dealt with accordingly.

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The 457 visa is dead, long live the 457 visa - Neos Kosmos

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's administration is taking the first steps toward a layoff contingency plan for state employees, which requires detailed notification of the unions before any layoff notices go out.

Malloy has warned there could be as many as 4,200 layoffs if the administration cannot reach an agreement with the unions in closed-door talks to save $700 million next year and balance the state budget. The confidential talks have been ongoing for months without an agreement.

As part of the plan, the first wave of about 1,100 employees would be notified in May of layoffs if no deal is reached. The contingency also includes eliminating more than 120 vacant positions, officials said Thursday.

Malloy said Thursday that the notifications are based on timing in union contracts and were not designed to speed up the closed-door negotiations.

"First and foremost, it is not being done for leverage,'' Malloy told reporters at the Capitol. "I always said we would go forward when we had to go forward. We have reached the time that we have to go forward. It is not for the purposes of trying to obtain an edge or blow up discussions. It just is a legal requirement, and that's what we're doing. ... We are at the point where we have to start giving those notices.''

He added, "This is not saber-rattling. This has been warned of for a long period of time.''

No layoff notices have been sent to employees, but officials are trying to set the timing for layoffs that would begin in the new fiscal year that starts on July 1. Nonunion employees with more than 15 years of service must get at least eight weeks' notice before being laid off. The newest employees get two weeks' notice.

The contingency of 4,200 layoffs which would not happen if a concession deal is reached would touch more than 50 departments and agencies. Those range from the state police and the governor's office to the departments of labor and agriculture.

The 4,200 layoffs would include 567 employees in the prisons, 403 in the judicial branch, and 319 employees each at the Department of Transportation and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, according to numbers released by Malloy's budget office. The Department of Children and Families would face 300 layoffs. In addition, the total would reach nearly 200 at UConn and 158 at UConn Health. The judicial branch declined comment Thursday.

With salaries and benefits, the state expects to save an average of about $100,000 per layoff totaling $400 million for 4,200 employees. The savings from the initial plan of 1,100 layoffs would be more than $80 million annually, Malloy said.

State employees and union leaders are not happy with the possibility of layoffs.

"Cutting jobs is no way to achieve shared prosperity," AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel said in comments posted on the union website. "Layoffs hurt local economies in the short-term and will lead to an even deeper fiscal crisis for our state down the road. What we need is not more austerity, but a more balanced approach."

Although Malloy and union officials have refused to reveal any details of the union talks, Malloy said he was still hopeful for a deal.

"We didn't jump the gun on giving those notices because we didn't want to appear to be precipitous or trying to affect negotiations,'' Malloy said. "We left it to the latest possible dates that we could engage in that activity. I'm hopeful that those layoffs will not be required, but we've got to honor the contract.''

When asked if he was trying to extend the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition agreement by five years, Malloy said he would not negotiate the deal in the press. But he did not back off from his already-announced plan for potential layoffs.

"In the absence of agreements, we will take a number of steps, including additional layoffs, if it is required, and I hope it's not required,'' Malloy said.

Joe Gaetano, president of the union that represents judicial marshals, said the marshals have already been "hard hit'' by previous layoffs, "and further reducing the number of marshals would have a dangerous impact on public safety and on the efficient and safe workflow at the state's 43 courthouses.''

He added, "Connecticut is one of the richest states in the country. We encourage the governor and the legislature to find budget solutions that don't gut state services, endanger the public or put thousands of state workers out of jobs."

The administration is modeling its plans based on procedures from layoffs that began in 2011. At that time, agency heads receive a memo with about 50 pages of instructions on the exact steps that needed to be taken.

"Prior to deciding to lay off an employee, the agency must provide the employee with oral or written notice of the possible layoff, the reasons for it, and a specific time and place for a meeting with the appointing authority or designee where the employee will be given an opportunity to present any information he/she deems pertinent,'' according to the procedures for managerial and nonunion employees. "The purpose of the meeting is to determine if there are alternatives to layoff or whether the wrong employee has been selected for layoff.''

The documents sent to agency heads in 2011 also said the reason for the layoff should be outlined. Those reasons, outlined in the documents, included "lack of work, economy, insufficient appropriation, change in departmental organization, abolition of position or other cause.''

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Malloy Takes First Steps Toward 4200 Layoffs, Insists Moves Are Only Procedural For Now - Hartford Courant

Canberra, April 18 (IANS) Adopting a new Australians first approach to skilled migration, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has announced that he will be abolishing the existing 457 Visa programme, currently used by temporary foreign workers to gain employment in the country.

The 457 Visa programme is used mainly to hire foreign workers in the restaurant, IT and medical industries and the majority of such visa holders came from India, Britain and China, reported the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.

According to government statistics, 95,758 people were living in Australia under 457 Visa programme last year, with the highest proportion coming from India (24.6 per cent), followed by Britain (19.5 per cent) and China (5.8 per cent).

Turnbull used Facebook to announce the policy, which he said would put jobs first and Australians first, signalling a reduction in the occupations available to skilled foreign workers and raising the threshold to qualify.

We are putting jobs first, we are putting Australians first, he said. We are an immigration nation, but the fact remains that Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs.

Stating that Australian workers must have priority for Australian jobs, he said: We will no longer allow 457 Visa system to be passports to jobs that could and should go to Australians.

At a press conference in Canberra, Turnbull said the 457 Visa system needed to be replaced because it had lost its credibility.

The scheme will be replaced by two temporary visas that will impose tougher English language tests, stricter labour market testing, at least two years of work experience and a mandatory police check.

The numbers of jobs eligible for the two-year and four-year visa streams will be slashed, with 216 occupations ranging from antique dealer to fisheries officer to shoe-maker, axed from a list of 651 professions on the list.

Accounting giant KPMG criticised the decision, saying there is no evidence the current system is not working.

However, Turnbull dismissed that claim, arguing the abolition of the 457 Visa regime was a decision of my government this has been a careful exercise in policy development, reported the daily.

People currently on a 457 Visa, which lasts for four years, will be exempt from the new regulations.

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said that for the two-year stream, which could be renewed for two years, there wont be permanent residency outcomes at the end of that.

In relation to the medium-term stream which, as the Prime Minister pointed out, is targeted at higher skills, (there will be) a much shorter skills list.

He said the government would work with companies to ensure they met labour market testing requirements, and warned there will be a particular focus on companies that have an unnecessarily high proportion of 457 or foreign workers in jobs as well.

The 457 Visa programme was introduced by the former John Howard government in 1996-97.

IANS

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Australia to abolish temporary work 457 Visa programme - CanIndia News