The battle between the coal mining union and Rio Tinto over 16 workers dismissed in 1998 from the Blair Athol open cut in Queensland is effectively over, after an AIRC full bench today found 13 were fit to work at another of the company's mines nearby.
Labour hire company Forstaff has lost a bid to win back $4m in payroll tax it paid to the NSW Government, after a court found the company was the employer of the workers it placed with host employers.
Employers in the two largest states face more stringent regulation if they intend to electronically monitor their employees, with draft legislation being considered in NSW and options for stronger laws being canvassed in Victoria.
The WA IRC has issued enterprise orders under the Gallop Government's IR Act to resolve a bargaining dispute between the State Public Transport Authority and the RTBU (locomotive division).
With the federal election looming, Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, Craig Emerson, has accused the Government of misrepresenting the ALP's IR policies.
The AMWU is continuing its long-running bid to get up an agreement covering workers at Victorian food processing company Fyna Foods, but it has dropped its transmission of business arguments after the AIRC declined to deal with them on jurisdictional grounds.
A new two-year deal wrapped up early between pharmaceutical products company CSL and six unions gives employees their pay rises early and provides some improved family-friendly measures, including allowing all accrued sick leave to be taken for family leave purposes.
A re-elected Coalition Government would significantly reduce the impediments to creating home-based businesses, the Prime Minister, John Howard, said today.
Andrews to intervene in WA redundancy case; Queensland workers to be hit hardest by latest super changes, say unions; Tickling teacher fails to get job back; Boost for VMO union and delay for strippers' bid for award regulation; Agreement provides for a minute's silence on Armistice Day; and remuneration cap for unfair dismissal claims tops $90,000.
Workers at two of Warner Village's three Gold Coast theme parks have held two half-day stoppages this week as the AWU presses for a 4% annual pay increase.
