A new Baking Award will cover all state system baking and pastry businesses in Western Australia from October 1.

The Baking Industry Award now covers all employers and employees who were previously covered by the Bakers (Metropolitan), Bakers (Country) and Pastrycooks Awards.

According to the West Australian Government, this new award was based on the previous Bakers (Metropolitan) Award, and the Award’s provisions have been updated to better reflect contemporary arrangements. Significant changes have been made to the coverage and provisions of the award to incorporate employees previously covered by the Bakers (Country) and Pastrycooks Awards.

The changes include:

• expanding the coverage of the award to all state system bakers and pastrycooks in WA, and removing the distinction between Perth-based and country bakeries;
• establishing a new classification structure to incorporate pastrycooks and cake decorators;
• standardising working hours provisions;
• ensuring that leave entitlements meet the minimum standards in the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993; and
• modernising the allowance provisions so that most allowances become self-updating.

However, it’s important to note the updated Award does not apply to shop assistants who are employed in a bakery, as these employees are covered by the Shop and Warehouse (Wholesale and Retail Establishments) Award. Employers or employees in the national industrial relations system and employees transporting bread or bread products are also not covered.

Further information about the Award changes can be found on the West Australian Government website.