Mining giant BHP Billiton will introduce a minimum 18 weeks paid parental leave scheme across its global workforce from July 1 this year, it announced today.
The Master Builders Association and Shadow IR Minister Michael Keenan say a new report showing labour productivity continued to improve in the construction industry last year highlights the ongoing need for a strong IR watchdog in the sector.
Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard has today made it clear that she is unlikely to adopt yesterday's recommendation by her ALP Senate colleagues to allow Fair Work Australia to terminate substandard Work Choices deals within their nominal expiry dates.
The ALP senators who form the majority on the Senate Employment, Education and Workplace Relations Committee have taken on board union concerns about sub-standard Work Choices agreements continuing under the Federal Government's new IR regime, recommending that Fair Work Australia be given the power to terminate or vary them. They have also said the transitional IR bill's new representation order provisions aimed at addressing union coverage disputes are unnecessary and should be scrapped.
In a split decision, a Federal Court full bench majority has over-turned an earlier ruling that the redundancy provision in the national building and construction industry award was an incentive payment and therefore an allowable matter under Work Choices.
Unexpected fall in jobless rate; John Holland seeks insurance against "industrial buggery" in Westgate talks; Victorian paramedics launch industrial campaign; Degree puts employees $15,000 ahead
The Federal Court has set aside five days in February next year to hear John Holland's case against the MUA and employees of a contractor on the Sydney desalination plant who walked off the job last year citing safety concerns.
Call to keep YR@W levy; Job prospects brighten for sacked Westgate workers; Two meetings not a genuine attempt to reach agreement: AIRC; Two-tier Fair Work division to stay under Federal Court restructure; PSA launches digital campaign for schools support staff; AWU calls for tough national interest test for foreign investment by state-owned companies; Jobs focus in Victorian budget; and NSW nurses seek higher night shift pay
The AIRC has this afternoon ordered the ABS to end its round of targeted redundancies and allow employees who were told their jobs were gone to return to work, after finding the agency breached the consultation provisions of the Workplace Relations Act.
Sherry releases golden handshakes bill; ACT public service maternity pay extended to 18 weeks; Paid maternity leave rally outside Tanner's office; Tasmanian company owes workers $176,000, WO tells court; AIRC finds operational reasons sacking invalid; and Jewish leaders call on employers to respect workers during global recession.
