Union industrial officers are increasingly being supplanted by external IR lawyers, with the phenomenon most pronounced in "organising" unions, according to the principal of a boutique union-clientele law firm.
Shelving a major retail award conditions buy-out bid while the Albanese Government pursues penalty rate reforms would be a dereliction of duty, the Australian Retailers Association has told the FWC.
Century-old Restaurant and Catering Australia has applied to register as an employer organisation in an apparent attempt to differentiate itself from a rival peak body established by major industry figures last year.
The FWC has published model rules for registered organisations to help them understand and comply with the Registered Organisations Act and other requirements, following a recommendation from the Booth-Hamberger review of RO regulation.
Peak employer body ACCI has warned against the FWC handing down an "above inflation" rise in its upcoming Annual Wage Review, while at the same time arguing for "no more than 2.5%" when headline annual inflation currently stands at 2.4%.
The Ai Group has hinted at a potential "consensus" in a FWC-initiated case with economy-wide implications to consider inserting WFH provisions in the clerks award, while expressing concern that it would be "unfair" to require submissions ahead of results of a survey on the issue, with the tribunal now persuaded to ditch the deadline and hold a conference.
The 25% exemption rate the Ai Group has proposed for an estimated one million workers covered by the clerical award "does not adequately compensate" for the loss of penalty rates and overtime, according to ASU national secretary Emeline Gaske.
The Australian Industry Group has expressed dismay at the "skewed" drafting of a FWC survey aiming to gather information on how the clerical award currently impedes or enables working from home.
A FWC full bench has decided to park its consideration of whether to bring forward the trigger for consultations in model agreement clauses after employers expressed "alarm" at the prospect of requiring it when proposing to introduce a major change rather than when they make a "definite decision".
Compulsory post-PABO conferences further complicate an already onerous process, with little or no benefit, the ACTU, ANMF and CFMEU have told the review of the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act, while the Ai Group says the conferences are "often worthwhile" and can avert industrial action.
