The International Monetary Fund, in its annual assessment of the Australian economy, has urged the Howard Government to use the "exceptional opportunity" created by its Senate majority to implement its second wave IR changes.
Despite its slim Upper House majority, the Federal Government might yet have to revert to seeking support from the Democrats for its second wave IR changes, after renegade National Party Senator for Queensland, Barnaby Joyce, yesterday raised new concerns about the proposals.
Private sector dental assistants in Queensland will receive an 11% pay rise plus an ongoing annual 1.25% equal remuneration component (ERC) under Australia's first arbitrated pay equity decision.
The CBA is likely to appeal the Federal Court's invalidation of a key subsidiary's certified agreement, after the court found the bank's strategy to avoid its awards and agreements was akin to the bottom of the harbour tax avoidance schemes of the 1970s.
The building industry taskforce is expected to make further use of its new coercive powers to investigate industrial action on the $1.5 billion Perth-Mandurah railway, where a Leighton Contractors manager has become the first person to be served with a notice by the taskforce.
High Court rules sacked former senior policemen entitled to procedural fairness; AIRC starts hearing unfair dismissal case in camera; Paul Matters facing contempt charge; Salesforce tops list of best employers; and Workplace Express running conference on workforce planning.
In a new blow to the Howard Government's second wave IR agenda, the Catholic Church's IR advisory body has taken issue with most of its key planks, including the changes to unfair dismissal, wage-setting, minimum conditions and the role of the AIRC.
The OEA has referred to DEWR's fraud investigation unit an employees' year-old allegation that the signature on his AWA wasn't his - a move the CFMEU in WA maintains is "another example of the wheels of justice turning slowly for employees".
The second wave and parts of the current IR systems could operate in parallel for up to a three-year transitional period, while the Federal Government won't be able to rely purely on the corporations power to provide the constitutional underpinnings for the new system, Deacons partner Neil Napper told an ACIRRT conference in Sydney today.
A SA Unions report on young workers in the state has uncovered high levels of unpaid overtime, under-award payments, bullying and sexual harassment - and led to a renewed call from the ACTU for a ban on AWAs for workers younger than 20.
