Victoria's Andrews Government is working with the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity on trials of workplace surveillance testing for COVID-19 that rely on saliva samples rather than the more intrusive nasal swabs.
The FWC has used the further extension of COVID-19-related flexibilities in the clerks award to advance its campaign for enduring changes in working-from-home arrangements, calling on employers and unions to report back on possible variations to address the issue by early next month.
The Morrison Government will modestly increase funding to the Fair Work Commission over the next two years as part of its response to COVID-19, which is expected to drive up employer insolvencies and increase demand for the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme.
Single Bill to take forward coronavirus IR changes, says Porter; Qantas not required to maintain status quo; Patrick wins interim anti-industrial action order; and PM pays tribute to John Fahey, Susan Ryan.
The FWC has reversed a Victorian private school's stand-down of library technicians and a classroom assistant after rejecting evidence that their work stopped because of Stage 4 COVID-19 restrictions.
Any IR legislative package introduced by the Morrison Government after the working groups process will be pragmatic, balanced and realistic and won't be ideologically-driven, IR Minister Christian Porter told employers in WA this morning.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says a dispute between Patrick and MUA hasn't got to the point where it would be necessary to consider bringing in troops to ensure continuity of supply.
The FWC will this week hear an application by stevedore Patrick to terminate the MUA's protected action at its four container ports, while IR Minister Christian Porter has confirmed he will intervene in support of the company.
A key employer group has rejected ACTU claims that business interests advocated the re-introduction of Work Choices-style AWAs in the Morrison Government's IR working groups.
Major stevedore DP World Australia expects to finalise a new enterprise agreement with the CFMMEU's MUA division this week, ending a contentious round of waterfront bargaining.
