A Senate inquiry has urged Public Service Minister Michaelia Cash to intervene in the federal public sector bargaining dispute and soften the "intransigent" Coalition's "brutally hard-line" bargaining policy by relaxing the 2% wages cap and removing the prohibition on backpay, but Government senators have flatly rejected the recommendations.
The Fair Work Commission's new investigation into the AWU's Victorian branch and its former secretary, Cesar Melhem, will extend to the notorious Cleanevent enterprise agreement.
A reduction in size and frequency of pay rises explains the recent historically-low growth in wage rates, according to new RBA research conducted in collaboration with the ABS.
Lendlease has struck a new multi-state enterprise agreement with the CFMEU that will deliver pay rises of 20% over four years and provides for a new deal to be negotiated if the Turnbull Government's 2014 construction code takes effect.
Leading employment law practitioners have predicted it is only a matter of time before Australia sees a test case similar to UK's recent landmark Uber decision which found drivers were employees, not contractors.
The NSW IRC has rejected road transport organisation Natroad's bid to exempt its members from legislation extending minimum rates for owner drivers and contractors throughout NSW, finding the unregistered association lacks standing.
Pay rises in private-sector enterprise deals have climbed back above 3%, coinciding with a big reduction in agreement-making in retail and hospitality, according to the Department of Employment.
A university study of international students' employment conditions in food services shows they are receiving as little as $8 an hour and a median of $17, well below the award rate of about $21.
The FWC is canvassing whether it should rule early next year on the United Voice request to follow the UK's lead in setting a medium-term target for the minimum wage.
