Ahead of a 17-day full bench hearing of the shop union's junior rates case from October 20, the FWC has published summaries of the "substantial" evidence, which show that the AiG is arguing that lower rates create an incentive to employ young people, and RAFFWU characterising junior wages as a form of "child labour exploitation".
Dental therapists and assistants covered by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers award would have FWC-proposed pay increases of up to 35% phased in over three years from January 1, under a consent position reached between employers and unions in a major gender-based undervaluation case.
With the FWC seeking feedback by early next month on whether to hold off on reviewing its insertion of right to disconnect terms into awards, a leading employment and IR barrister and former critic of the legislation says the lack of test cases is "remarkable".
As Adero Law prepares to file a class action accusing Super Retail Group of underpaying up to 3000 store managers via an "entirely foreign" annualised salaries system, the company has sacked its chief executive over his affair with its former head of HR, while defending proceedings launched by two whistleblowers.
The ASU is urging the FWC to scrap proposed changes to the SCHADS Award that it says could result in 73% of covered workers losing pay, and begin a new review with a broader remit.
After the FWC sought feedback about how it should proceed with retail award variation applications following the passage of Albanese Government legislation that circumvented a key element of one of the cases, the tribunal has acceded to a bid by retailers to also consider submissions on the effect of the recent Federal Court ruling on underpayments by Coles and Woolworths.
A FWC full bench is seeking submissions on any additional issues its review of award part-time provisions should consider, and will then consult on proposed research, while the tribunal has also begun a review of redundancy provisions in selected awards.
Woolworths claims Friday's Federal Court underpayments ruling will cost it an extra $470 million before tax and "will require significant and widespread changes to accepted retail practice".
A model working from home clause in a key award should avoid contributing to remote workers working "long and unsociable hours", address employer provision of equipment and apply to all employees, according to a Centre for Future Work report.
