COSBOA is seeking the most significant change to the statutory exclusion from employment protections based on business size since Work Choices almost 20 years ago, while it also wants to broaden its reach to exempt small businesses from multi-employer bargaining, complying with casual conversion and delegates' rights obligations and restrictions on fixed-term contracts.
In a decision tackling an overlooked need to issue protected action ballot orders reflecting a shift to multi-employer bargaining at Sydney Trains and NSW Trains, the FWC has chastised the employers for seeking an additional technical step serving "no purpose" other than to bring about a delay.
A FWC full bench has approved a landmark multi-employer supported bargaining agreement covering more than 60 employers in the early childhood education and care sector, putting more than 12,000 employees in line for a 15% pay rise over two years.
Rail unions are urgently seeking renewed authorisation for festive season protected action at Sydney Trains and NSW Trains, after the Federal Court last night acceded to the employers' bid to temporarily declare unlawful bans to take effect this morning.
The FWC has issued a single interest employer authorisation for two regional Victorian councils, in the first full bench ruling to weigh whether it is barred from approving multi-employer negotiations when a union and an employer party have allegedly agreed in writing to bargain for a proposed single-enterprise agreement.
With "limited take-up" of multi-employer bargaining since its inception last year, a paper presented at the Australian Labour Law Association national conference in Geelong last week says some "technical" amendments would make it simpler and easier to authorise negotiations and make deals.
The public outcry about multi-employer bargaining during the passage of the Secure Jobs legislation was "massively overstated" in the light of the limited number of cases that have since emerged, but recent reforms might have revived single-enterprise bargaining, according to FWC President Adam Hatcher.
The FWC has granted a supported bargaining authorisation that boosts an IEU push for a 25% pay rise for teachers in more than 100 NSW preschools, while employers told the tribunal the Fair Work Act changes have finally put them in a position to negotiate.
After a hard-fought battle, a mining union has today won an authorisation to negotiate a multi-employer agreement with three underground black coal mines operated by major resource companies Peabody, Ulan and Whitehaven, but Delta has escaped its clutches.
The ASU has won a supported bargaining authorisation to bolster negotiations with the ACT Government for a multi-enterprise deal for social and community services workers employed by 17 funding-reliant organisations.
