The ACTU is seeking a $28 a week increase in minimum wages from the Fair Pay Commission – equivalent to about 5.5% per year at the level of the Federal Minimum Wage – in its submission lodged with the award wage-setting body today.
Confectioner Darrell Lea is offering a five-year Work Choices AWA to casuals that freezes wage rates, scraps penalty rates, pares back casual loading, and reduces minimum engagements to one hour, according to the Federal Opposition.
The AFPC - which is due to deliver its 2007 minimum wage decision mid-year - has dropped from its consultation process the extensive series of both public and stake-holder meetings it conducted in 2006 and has instead increased its use of targeted focus groups, according to the director of its secretariat, Jennifer Taylor.
Family First Senator Steve Fielding has today introduced his private member's bill that seeks to restore some of the employee entitlements removed by Work Choices.
Long-running negotiations for a new agreement for 2,000 public sector nurses in the Northern Territory are nearing completion after the Government increased its offer following an overwhelming vote for protected industrial action by ANF members.
SA IRC launches inquiry into Work Choices, IC laws; Most professional women childless: survey; Lack of childcare cited by 82,700 people not in labour force: ABS; Federal ALP would extend owner driver exemptions; CFMEU fined $9,000 for FOA breaches; Submissions deadline on Friday for minimum pay review; Harper to address National Press Club; ABC releases "sneak peek" of waterfront dispute drama; OWS chasing more underpayments; Correction to OWS article; and Founders not in agreement over corporations power, says Chief Justice.
Unions have responded to Work Choices' sanctions against industrial action with a three-pronged strategy: making themselves a small target, protecting their assets, and outsourcing industrial action to their members and supporters, according to Melbourne industrial barrister Stuart Wood.
Former Commonwealth Bank head of people services, Les Cupper, has urged HR practitioners to abandon "HR-speak" and adopt the language of business, or face being increasingly marginalised.
On the first anniversary of Work Choices, the Coalition's IR laws today dominated federal politics - on the airwaves, in Parliament and in both the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader's party room addresses.
The LHMU today applied for an urgent Federal Court injunction to stop security company Securecorp from using a new corporate structure to shift the employment of security guards onto a non-union agreement.
