The proportion of Australian workers on low pay is increasing and many of them are not protected from financial distress by living in dual income households or receiving welfare benefits, according to academic research released today.
Employers seeking the new s496 orders to halt industrial action where unions claim employees are acting without authorisation look likely to seek to rely on the Federal Court's recent CFMEU v Clarke ruling, after the AIRC today heard its third application under the new provisions.
The Cowra abattoir that gave its 29 employees notice that they would all be sacked, with 20 then to be rehired at lower rates, has withdrawn its notices of termination, Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews advised this afternoon.
In a case that could have implications for rostering across a range of industries, two Qantas flight attendants with caring responsibilities have intervened in the certification hearing for the new Qantas short haul cabin crew agreement, arguing it shouldn't be approved because it is discriminatory.
The Australian Nursing Federation has made the first application to the AIRC for a secret ballot to authorise industrial action under the Work Choices legislation.
ACTU secretary Greg Combet and the lawyer who used the old Workplace Relations Act to stymie the mass retrenchment of Patrick's wharfies have today pointed to the Cowra abattoir case as an example of the perils facing workers employed by companies intent on installing a cheaper replacement workforce.
The Federal Court has fined the Southern Cross Clothing company $110,550 for breaches of the Clothing Trades Award, prompting calls from the TCFU for garment outworkers to be exempted from the forthcoming Independent Contractors Act.
