WA the fourth state to proceed with wage case; NSW introduces legislation to protect public sector workers, extend IRC powers; Qantas unions step up protest against maintenance outsourcing; Outrage at Minchin's promise of more IR change after 2007 election, but Howard rules out further major change; Leighton Kumagai workers return to the job; and CPSU survey of female members gets strong response.
Last year's campaigns against the introduction of non-union agreements at DEWR and the Pacific National freight rail operator have been recognised in the annual ACTU Awards presented at a function in Melbourne last night.
Hundreds of striking construction workers who have halted work on the underground section of the Perth-Mandurah railway project since February 24 will meet tomorrow morning to decide whether to return to the job.
It's over for Pakula - for now; Victoria commits $241 million to boost skills; Work Choices won't help us, says business; MBA releases guide to Cole laws; Australia is wasting its women, says Goward; and Qantas maintenance workers to begin industrial action.
The Iemma Government is expected this evening to introduce legislation to protect almost 200,000 public sector employees from falling under Canberra's Work Choices regime, and extend the State IRC's jurisdiction to cover disputes over common law agreements.
As they head into their 2006 bargaining round, Australian manufacturers are confident of containing wages despite skills shortages in some areas, according to the latest ACCI-Westpac industrial trends survey.
The NSW IRC will hear the State Wage Case in June, after today becoming the third state to reject Federal Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews' bid to delay proceedings until after the Fair Pay Commission makes its first determination in Spring.
