The Prime Minister and Labor state and territory leaders emerged from today's COAG meeting describing it as the most cooperative and productive in recent history - except in one key area.
ALP premiers meeting in Canberra now with the Prime Minister, John Howard, say they expect IR - the most divisive item on today's COAG agenda - to be dealt with fairly quickly, with an agreement to disagree.
The ILO will next week investigate whether Australia's current workplace laws comply with international obligations to allow employees to join unions and bargain collectively.
As the ALP premiers begin arriving in Canberra ahead of tomorrow's COAG meeting, the former NSW IR Minister and Attorney-General, Jeff Shaw QC, says there is a "respectably arguable case" against the Federal Government's planned takeover of the states' IR systems.
With John Howard set to demand at Friday's COAG meeting that the states cede their IR powers to Canberra, Queensland has thrown a spanner in the works, saying it will legislate to provide minimum conditions for the State's workers, while NSW will look at following the same path.
More large employers are engaging in-house HR specialists as the labour market tightens, while the typical salary for a HR director in Sydney has now reached the $200,000 mark, according to a new remuneration survey by recruitment company Hays.
In the latest sign that labour shortages are driving up wages, new DEWR data shows that pay rises in private sector enterprise agreements have reached 4.1% a year, just below the five-year high of 4.2%.
Andrews' pay goes up 4.1%, but argues low paid should get 2.4%; University and TAFE employees begin protests against second wave tomorrow; Appaloosa employees lose their jobs, but have till Thursday to sign AWAs with labour hire company; NSW IRC refuses backpay to cover strike during bargaining; Pro forma retrenchment letter suggested employer was "going through the motions"; Full bench clarifies calculation of car benefit for unfair dismissal claims; Hudson recommends five measures to help employers improve work-life balance in the workplace; and AIRC rejects employer dismissal appeal lodged nine months late.
An Australian Bureau of Statistics executive sacked for manipulating the organisation's footy tipping competition has got his job back, following an AIRC ruling.
