Labor's audacious bid to restore penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sectors by piggy-backing one of the Federal Government's own IR bills fell at the first hurdle today, when rebel Nationals MP George Christensen indicated he could not support legislation that failed to protect businesses from back-pay claims.
The future of a joint union equal pay claim for childcare workers is hanging in the balance after an FWC full bench was yesterday left searching for "real world" scenarios establishing metalworkers as a suitable comparator.
The ETU has declared a major payday for more than 4000 Queensland apprentices it claims are owed $70 million in underpayments after a full Federal Court today held that an old State award that continued to dictate their pay was superseded three years ago.
The FWC has confirmed the retention of existing Sunday penalty rates for restaurant workers, a full bench noting employers' inability to muster persuasive evidence to support claims cuts would boost jobs.
The concept of the "farm gate" is virtual rather than physical in the horticultural sector, an FWC full bench has found in a coverage decision it backdated by eight years to ensure employers are not exposed to backpay claims.
In one of the first extended discussions about the capacity to include incidental matters in modern awards, the FWC has called for further submissions on how or whether to incorporate a standard clause that would permit employers to deduct up to five weeks pay when employees quit without giving sufficient notice.
A full Federal Court will tomorrow hand down its ruling on the union bid to quash the Fair Work Commission's decision to cut penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sectors.
FWC President Iain Ross says a one-day conference in Sydney on Friday will focus on unpaid domestic violence leave and a possible model term, with unions and employers yet to agree on how to define family and domestic violence.
A full Federal Court has reserved judgment on the union application to quash the Fair Work Commission ruling to cut weekend penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sectors.
The union movement's crucial bid to overturn the cuts to penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sectors kicks off tomorrow before a rare five-judge full Federal Court.
