An FWO inquiry into housekeeping services reveals that exploitation of vulnerable, overseas workers is rife within the industry, as one of Australia's largest hotel and resort operators agrees to enter into enforceable undertakings with the watchdog in a bid to avoid proceedings over an independent contracting model it established that robbed workers of their correct wages and conditions.
A Turnbull Coalition Government, if returned at the July 2 election, will amend the Fair Work Act to make franchisors and parent entities responsible for their franchisees' and subsidiaries' exploitation of vulnerable workers, while increasing penalties tenfold for employers that underpay such workers and fail to keep proper records.
Returned Turnbull Government would review "backpacker tax"; $23,500 fine for hairdressing salon that failed to comply with $3500 underpayments rectification order.
The FWC has refused to approve an enterprise agreement because the employer failed to comply with the mandatory step of providing a bargaining notice to employees within 14 days.
The Turnbull Government granted FWBC director Nigel Hadgkiss new powers soon before calling the federal election, in a bid to stop builders and contractors agreeing to "union-friendly" clauses in enterprise agreements.
Convenience store chain 7-Eleven is ending the Fels Panel's oversight of its process for rectifying systematic underpayments to franchisee employees and moving the task to what it says is an independent internal unit.
An employer has had its agreement rejected after failing to convince the Fair Work Commission that it made a "trifling" error in its bargaining rights notice when it mistakenly listed the tribunal's website as a source of information rather than the FWO.
The FWC has ordered abattoir operator Teys Australia to backpay thousands of dollars to meatworkers for incentive scheme underpayments during a long period of "confusion" and "uncertainty" about the operation of its enterprise agreement and an associated incentive payment system.
Fairfax journalists might face individual fines after Ombudsman probe; FSU seeks better communications strategy; FSU preparing logs of claim for NAB and major industry super fund; and CFMEU penalties just a cost of doing business, says building cop.
