Work Choices has been "a political catastrophe" for the Coalition and has taken Australia "backwards a long way", while Labor's proposal to axe AWAs won't have any substantial economic impact, according to the senior economic advisor to former Prime Minister Paul Keating.
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has today pledged to repeal Work Choices if Labor is elected on November 24 and warned that if the Howard Government is returned the laws "would be made even worse".
Prime Minister John Howard has warned today that if voters elect the Opposition at the November 24 election, Australians will face a Rudd Labor Government dominated by former union officials that will re-introduce unfair dismissal laws and drive up unemployment.
BHP Billiton unions have taken the first steps in developing a global network, after meeting in Brisbane this week to plan a strategy that will include protest action at the company's AGM in Adelaide in November.
Secret ballots barred when unions/employers seeking multi-employer agreement; Greens push for 18 weeks public-funded paid parental leave; Workplace Authority to make agreements available late this month or early November; New website aimed at young workers; and Hadgkiss should reject invitation to speak at HR Nicholls conference, says CFMEU.
An AIRC full bench has ordered an employer to pay $9,000 of costs borne by a dismissed construction labourer who defeated a claim that the AIRC had no jurisdiction to hear his unlawful termination claim because he was allegedly a director of the company.
The High Court's Justice Michael Kirby has highlighted the role of "the now often despised" IR tribunals in removing gender and pay inequality, saying that it wasn't secured by individual bargaining or workplace agreements.
The ACTU claims a new non-union meat industry agreement proves the fairness test isn't working, because the deal cuts pay by up to $88 a week, provides an annual pay rise of just 2% a year, removes rest breaks and annual leave loading and reduces overtime rates, but fails to fairly compensate workers.
A senior member of the AIRC has rejected Australia Post's application to extend the notice period for industrial action from three to seven working days under exceptional circumstances provisions, but has said three working days would to be too short for school teachers.
Employers are treating Work Choices' requirement to provide unpaid maternity leave as an "aspirational goal" and believe the operational reasons exemption under the law gives them the right to sack or demote pregnant women, according to a new academic report commissioned by Victoria's Workplace Rights Advocate.
