The values applied by IR tribunals are crucial because they help to set public norms for fair and reasonable conduct in the workplace, AIRC President Justice Geoffrey Giudice said last night in a speech in Sydney. He also emphasised the critical role of actual and perceived independence and impartiality.
As union and employer groups continue to negotiate over the Federal Government's draft IR bill in CoIL meetings, two unions representing predominantly female workers have been in Canberra today lobbying politicians to include greater protections for employees in the legislation.
Second stoppage on Friday for Rio Tinto train drivers; van Rooden starts her Fair Work Australia role; and 100,000 expected to participate in National Ride to Work Day tomorrow.
Coverage of many traditional manufacturing enterprises could be lost to awards in industries such as construction and mining if changes aren’t made to the draft modern manufacturing award, both the AMWU and AiG have told the AIRC.
The Federal Government will spend $187 million to create an additional 56,000 new training places this financial year as part of a $10.4 billion package to stimulate the economy it announced today.
In the wake of scathing criticism by a Federal Court judge over an unfounded coercion case, ABC Commissioner John Lloyd has defended his decision to pursue the matter. Meanwhile, constitutional lawyer George Williams has called, in a submission to a Senate inquiry, for greater oversight of the ABCC.
The Federal Government has opposed the reinstatement of severance entitlements for small business employees and revealed further details of its substantive IR legislation in a submission to the AIRC in response to the first round of draft modern awards.
The NUW is urging its members to vote in favour of shifting three of its smaller state branches into the union's central branch, saying membership in Queensland and WA and SA is in decline and critical mass is needed to recruit and grow.
The Queensland, SA and WA branches of the NUW will on Wednesday seek to derail in the Federal Court a plan to bring them under the control of the union's national office.
The construction sector's key employer groups are divided over a proposal to subject the specialist construction division of Fair Work Australia to external oversight.
