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".
The Andrews Government has responded to IR Victoria's review of child employment legislation by introducing amendments to broaden the definition of employment, simplify the licensing system and extend its coverage to not-for-profit organisations.
A federal court judge has in fining an underpaying juice shop operator almost $35,000 flatly rejected "cultur[al] differences" as a mitigating factor, lamenting instead the frequency with which ethnically diverse employers exploit their own communities.
The AWU's Hair Stylists Australia has deployed its first paid organiser to tackle the "widespread cultural problem" of underpayments as the FWO pursues another hairdressing industry scalp on behalf of a teenage apprentice short-changed $14,500.
The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union says it has dozens of Bakers Delight agreements in its sights in today's first application to terminate an expired deal it alleges leaves some workers more than $2000 a year worse off than under the award.
The FWO will enlist local employer groups in a three-month auditing blitz of more than 400 businesses in regions where workers are making "persistent" requests for assistance, including Perth, Adelaide and Dandenong.
The Office of the Australian Small Business Commissioner is pushing for the full adult wage to be paid from the age of 18, questioning the rationale behind the IR system "deeming adulthood to commence at 21".
Anti-bullying order restricts worker's exercise regime; Adult retail worker pay rates to stay; ILO challenge to Tasmanian IR legislation; and Federal government pilots new training programs.
Higher superannuation contributions and federal minimum wage rates are - along with new federal senators taking their seats - among the changes due to take effect from Tuesday, July 1.
