Unions will step up their multi-million dollar television campaign against the Work Choices laws in the lead up to next year's federal election, with the launch today of a CFMEU advertisement highlighting the coercive powers of the BCII Act.
ACTU secretary Greg Combet has acknowledged the apprehension some union delegates feel about the peak council's new IR policy - unanimously endorsed this morning - which relies heavily on the corporations power and weakens the role of the state systems.
A proposed IR policy that provides for a default national IR system, but gives parties the chance to opt in to state systems, is set to be voted up today at the ACTU's triennial Congress after state union peak bodies today indicated it had their support.
The ACTU will be looking for more money from its affiliates as it steps up its fight against Work Choices in the lead up to next year's election, ACTU secretary Greg Combet made clear today.
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley today pledged federal Labor's support for a national IR system, promised to abolish employer greenfields agreements, and released details of a union-friendly collective bargaining policy at the ACTU 's triennial national Congress that began in Melbourne this morning.
More than a third of working mothers with leave entitlements use paid maternity leave, while more than one in five pregnant workers experience inappropriate comments or miss out on training or promotion opportunities, according to new ABS data released today.
The ABCC claims evidence of both cultural and conduct change is emerging in the building and construction industry, but has expressed disappointment with the attitude of unions and said some contractor companies also seemed reluctant to accept that new industry practices were required.
The ACTU will kick off its triennial congress meeting next week with the launch of a one-stop union-joining service to capitalise on its multi-million dollar television campaign against the Work Choices laws.