The Federal Government's independent contractor laws add another layer of complexity to the workplace relations system, significantly reduce the levels of legal protection available to contractors, and fail to address an issue of fundamental concern to labour regulation, according to Monash University's Dr Anthony Forsyth.
Greens MPs in state and territory parliaments are planning to push Labor governments to effectively remove employers' ability to take common law action against employees and unions over industrial action.
A full bench of the AIRC is today hearing a bid by Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey to have overturned an earlier finding that the Victorian State Library's sacking of an employee amounted to a dispute with the CPSU over the application of an agreement and was within the Commission's jurisdiction.
Some 11,000 Qantas customer service, administration and IT employees will be seeking a 6% annual pay rise, 12% super contributions and maintenance of award conditions in an enterprise bargaining claim expected to be served on the airline by the ASU this month, ahead of the April 3 deadline for shareholders to accept a buyout by the APA private equity consortium.
A Hunter Valley mining contractor has agreed to pay compensation and legal costs to a 21-year-old trainee truck driver who alleges she was bullied, harassed and then dismissed when she refused to sign an AWA last year.
In the latest in the AMWU post-Cameron election battle between those now siding with the dominant National Left and the New Directions team, the Federal Court has this morning taken a different view to the AEC on multiple nominations, meaning the New Directions candidates get to line up for the positions they prefer.
Government attacks universities for low take-up of AWAs; $74m in 2008-10 Workplace Productivity Program higher education funding; and AMWU wants Art Gallery of SA to hold Tristar exhibition.
The Australian Fair Pay Commission has dismissed, via a three sentence letter, what is believed to be the first application under Work Choices to vary award pay scales, meaning NSW security officers who fall under the new IR regime will not receive pay rises agreed to by employers in 2003.
The ABCC has won a Federal Court action against the CFMEU and one of its delegates who told three workers they had to join the union to work at a Queensland spray painters.