The WA IRC has issued its first enterprise order under the Gallop Government's new IR Act, in a decision likely to give heart to Pilbara mining unions seeking to use the same provisions. The ruling, however, is set to be appealed.
ACTU secretary Greg Combet finished the union movement's triennial Congress on an evangelical note, but he acknowledged that he was disappointed with delegates' response to Opposition leader Simon Crean's policy speech, and called on the union movement to get behind the ALP.
Workplace fatigue could lead to drug use: lawyer; Exhibition showcasing women in the AIRC opens in Sydney; Commission rules 20% casual loading appropriate in glass industry award; and Friendlier workers more productive, says study.
Unions will meet with Qantas on Tuesday, after the airline today announced plans to increase the proportion of casuals and labour hire employees from less than 15% now to 25% in two years.
The AIRC has this afternoon issued an s127 order to end the TWU's stoppages at Melbourne Airport over the use of labour hire employees, but has directed the airline to limit the numbers and hours of the on-hire workers.
Some subscribers may not have received their email alerts over the past three days - Workplace Express has published 15 important articles in this time, including exclusive items from the ACTU Congress, the new contract call centre award and other vital tribunal rulings - these are all available on the website: www.workplaceexpress.com.au
An AIRC full bench has ruled that union officials have right of entry to any workplace bound by an award covering its members - even if it is not the predominant award.
A rank and file Hamersley Iron worker told ACTU Congress today that "it devastated us" to find that the AWU's national leadership had struck a deal with Rio Tinto for the company's Pilbara iron ore sites.