Regulations for the Work Choices legislation will be released late this month, ahead of the main amendments taking effect in March, says Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews, while consolidation versions of the revised Workplace Relations Act are starting to emerge.
An ACCI proposal to use the upcoming wages and classifications review to collapse existing pay structures to four minimum levels has provoked ACTU demands that the federal government reject it because it will cut workers' pay and discourage skills development.
The AiG has warned against the award rationalisation process becoming a "levelling-up" exercise in which the most generous current award rates would be incorporated in Australian Pay and Conditions Standards, while it has called for a new manufacturing award to be one of the first rationalised awards determined by the AIRC.
Queensland barrister Andrew Herbert has been appointed to replace the AWU's David Cragg on the Award Review Taskforce reference group, which has its first meeting in Canberra tomorrow.
Unions NSW files High Court challenge to Work Choices; Submissions close Friday for inquiry into jobs in car parts manufacturing; FSU tries to revive works councils debate; Victorian Government starts registering labour hire companies; and Make child care tax-exempt, says Deloitte.
It's Groundhog Day for state IR ministers, with federal Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews again notifying them that he won't be attending the next scheduled Workplace Relations Ministerial Council meeting.
ACCI favours a move towards industry-based awards and ultimately wants a single national award to cover all industries, but it doesn't support the Award Review Taskforce proposal to base industry sectors on top level ANZSIC classifications.
Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward has expressed concern that the Howard Government's award rationalisation process could threaten paid maternity leave and pay equity.
