Labour productivity grew at a higher average annual rate in the five years to 2015-16 than it did over the past 15 and 30 years, according to new Treasury analysis, but a leading labour market economist has criticised the "arbitrary and misleading" window chosen for the study.
The Department of Employment has told a Senate inquiry that almost two-thirds of large fast food, retail, hospitality and pharmacy deals pay less than the award for Sunday work.
While retreating from his much-hyped "call to arms" for workers to demand higher wages, Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe today told a Sydney audience that a continuation of the current period of stagnation in wage growth would have an "insidious" impact on the economy.
A tribunal member who reinstated a transit officer sacked for spraying a minor with capsicum spray should have given greater weight to his past conduct and the viability of re-establishing an employment relationship, a full bench has found.
Unions are seeking the reinstatement of powers to inspect non-members' time and wages records, after their analysis of 200 job advertisements aimed at Chinese, Korean and Spanish-speakers showed that almost four out of every five pay less than the award.
Treasurer Scott Morrison has declined to support Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe's call for workers to push for wage rises, arguing that improved company profits are a surer way to put more money in more pockets.
A Senate Committee's call for a target date for full gender pay equity has been seized upon by the union pursuing a four-year long equal-remuneration case before the FWC, but found little support from business or Government members on the Labor-dominated committee.
The Fair Work Commission today conceded that inflated concerns about the impact of minimum wage increases on employment may have led to it being "overly cautious" in past rulings.
As the FWC minimum wage panel draws closer to a determination in its annual review, a discussion paper based on surveys of more than 700,000 "lesser skilled" Americans has questioned whether policymakers need to consider mechanisms other than minimum pay rates as a means of improving health outcomes for low-paid workers.
