The fall in the cost of living in the December quarter last year revealed in today's ABS CPI data could ease the pressure on wages from the recent high levels of headline inflation.
The 21-day time limit for lodging unfair and unlawful termination applications to the AIRC depends on the date that workers are notified of their dismissal, a full bench has decided.
New Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey today wouldn't rule out further change to Work Choices, but said it would be limited to addressing technical issues.
Two of federal parliaments' more colourful politicians - the Liberals' Joe Hockey and the ALP's Julia Gillard - will now lead their parties in the IR battle following Hockey's promotion today to Workplace Relations Minister as part of a significant reshuffle by the Prime Minister, John Howard.
Probationary periods for unfair termination applications restart when workers are transferred in a transmission of business unless specifically agreed otherwise, according to an AIRC decision.
A private arbitration of parts of a proposed collective agreement for ACT public school teachers has decided on an 11.5% pay rise over three years, plus a cap on face-to-face teaching in secondary schools of 19 hours per week averaged over 12 months.
In the first full bench decision on demarcation rights for State unions transferring to the federal system under Work Choices, the Queensland AWU has kept exclusive rights to represent non-clerical workers at Amcor's paper operations in the State.
In a rebuff to Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews and the ATO, an AIRC full bench has found the Commission has the power to order an employer to notify employees that a union is visiting a workplace to investigate possible breaches, while stressing that the right of entry provisions should be interpreted in a reasonable, commonsense way.
