A five-member FWC full bench has today given any objectors until Monday to respond to its "provisional view" that it should extend COVID-19 paid pandemic leave provisions in three major health awards for five months.
Virgin Australia's goal of promptly securing agreements with unions for its downsized rebirth faces a new hurdle after the resignation today of chief executive Paul Scurrah, while Qantas has confirmed it has filed its challenge to the recent Federal Court JobKeeper ruling.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus is hopeful that agreement can be reached on a legal definition of casual employees, despite the Morrison Government's IR working groups ending with recriminations between union and employer groups.
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.
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.
