The Federal Government has spent $4.1 million on buying advertising space for its IR ads over six days this week, plus $472,195 for full-page newspaper ads on May 5 and 6 on the changes to Work Choices, a Senate Estimates Committee has been told.
Corporate employers in NSW not covered by preserved state awards or agreements will have to ensure their employment conditions don't disadvantage under-18 employees or face the risk of prosecution, after a NSW IRC full bench today found that employers were using Work Choices agreements to exploit children in "a most unconscionable way".
The Government's amendments to boost the safety net under Work Choices will be introduced into federal parliament next Monday, Prime Minister John Howard said today.
AIRC Commissioner Ken Bacon has today revoked his decision last week that would have denied high-income workers on preserved state awards or agreements the right to make unfair dismissal claims under Work Choices.
Finance Minister Nick Minchin has not responded to repeated inquiries from Senate President Paul Calvert about the funding of the Federal Government's $55 million advertising campaign for Work Choices in 2005/06, a Senate Estimates committee heard today.
Key planks of the ALP's IR policy carry "substantial economic risk" and would impose "compulsory" collective bargaining on employers, according to the Ai Group.
In a decision which, if it stands, will exclude higher-income workers who were on state awards or agreements prior to Work Choices from making unfair dismissal claims, the AIRC has ruled that a NAPSA is not an award for unfair dismissal purposes.
The Federal Government will this weekend launch a publicly funded advertising campaign about its changes to Work Choices, saying people were confused by the ACTU's ads against the laws.
The AMWU has been refused an opportunity to bargain for members on a Queensland construction project after the AWU reached a comprehensive greenfields agreement with the employer, Thiess.
