The FSU and National Australia Bank have reached in-principle agreement on a new three-year enterprise deal that doubles paid parental leave to 12 weeks, introduces a week's paid pre-natal leave, protects existing award conditions and delivers a 4% pay increase to most staff - down from 4.5% in the previous deal.
The LHMU, in its submission to the Award Review Taskforce, says that rushing into a system of industry-based awards is undesirable, and that the merits and history of existing awards should first be considered, with an emphasis on due process and extensive consultation with parties to awards.
Federal Labor is planning a detailed IR policy that will limit business options for introducing individual contracts, but does not go so far as abolishing existing individual workplace agreements.
Qualified IT professionals working in Victoria will be covered by a new federal award even if they are not working for companies in the IT industry, the AIRC has decided.
Allowances for long-distance truck drivers will be included in annual leave calculations after a long-running conciliation approved by an AIRC full bench.
A five-member WA IRC full bench has reserved its decision on whether to accede to bids by Canberra and employers to shelve the 2006 State Wage Case until the AFPC makes its first determination in Spring, while it is seeking submissions on whether it has the power to make a state decision in the absence of a national wage case ruling.
