Last-ditch lobbying intensified today as senators started to debate the Work Choices bill, with the ACTU presenting a petition to maverick Queensland National Barnaby Joyce and Unions NSW releasing a family impact statement on the legislation.
Despite the imminent federal overriding of the NSW IRC's unfair contracts jurisdiction for many work-related claims, the Iemma Government has introduced legislation to counteract recent court decisions that have limited the operation of the laws.
The Federal Government has this morning confirmed to the AIRC that it will be via the Work Choices regulations that part-heard matters affecting constitutional corporations will lapse when the legislation is enacted.
The Federal Government is in the process of establishing a register of private alternative dispute resolution providers for use under the Work Choices legislation, the Attorney-General, Phillip Ruddock, said this week.
A Brisbane private hospital that provides on-site child care, up to 12 weeks maternity leave and a week’s extra annual leave for night-shift workers has won this year’s work and family award for large employers.
Queensland National politicians have this afternoon upped the pressure on the federal Coalition to consider amendments to its Work Choices legislation, crossing the floor to back a Beattie Government motion that all Queensland Senators reject the bill when it comes before them next week.
The Federal Government and the ACCI will tomorrow seek to intervene to support the MBA's bid to have adjourned a long-running application by the CFMEU (construction and general division) to increase award rates for apprentices.
The effect of the ageing workforce will start to bite in the next five years, with 195,000 fewer workers available in 2010 than there otherwise would have been, according to new research commissioned by DEWR.