Shadow IR Minister Julia Gillard today denied the ALP's planned award flexibility clauses could be used to cut employees' pay, but conceded Labor’s "better off overall" test would allow penalty rates, overtime and shift allowances to be traded off for higher wages.
After Friday’s deal to provide redundancy packages to 13 workers at its Marrickville site, Tristar Steering and Suspension Australia Ltd has today agreed to extend the arrangements to a further 11, leaving just seven employees on the payroll.
A snapshot of Australian workplaces taken just before Work Choices became law showed most were union free, industrial disputes were low, and managers were generally happy with existing laws – suggesting it was not workplace problems but unfounded employer fears that had driven the Coalition’s IR policy, according to a new study.
Australia Post strike ballot to go ahead, as employer pays 4% unilaterally; AIRC refuses ALAEA ballot application; Victoria Police seeks s496 order; Annual leave and sick leave couldn’t be bought out under Labor: Gillard; New ACTU tv commercial features dismissed Priceline employee; and Another pop culture blow for Work Choices.
A senior AIRC full bench has upheld Boeing’s dismissal of an employee, accepting that it was partially for operational reasons, despite it being triggered by his refusal to accept reassignment to another job.
The Queensland Industrial Court has today held a directions hearing on what is shaping to be a second test case in the state on whether councils are constitutional corporations.
A year after their redundancy dispute with the company began, 13 workers at Tristar’s Marrickville plant have today won the right to the payout they have been fighting for - leaving 17 to go.
In an unprecedented move for the ANF, the union will on Sunday enter the IR advertising battle, launching a multi-million dollar anti-Work Choices television campaign across Australia.
Production at Ford Australia will resume at 11pm on Monday evening and cars will start rolling off the production line on Tuesday morning, after striking workers at components supplier Venture Industries returned to the job this afternoon.
As criticism continued over the federal ALP’s decision to retain key planks of Work Choices if elected, Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd and Deputy Leader Julia Gillard were in the resources States of WA and Queensland selling their IR message, while Prime Minister John Howard denied claims that he intended to again cut the safety net if re-elected.
