In a ruling with alarming revenue implications for unions, the IRC has ruled a union fee deduction clause doesn't pertain to the employment relationship and renders an agreement uncertifiable.
In the wake of yesterday's allegations by the Cole Royal Commission that the IRC had poorly scrutinised applications to certify construction agreements, leading IR practitioners say the comments point to the current system of enterprise bargaining fitting poorly with the structure and needs of the industry.
A full bench of the IRC has warned employers and unions they must alert the Commission to all relevant existing awards when seeking a designated award to underpin an enterprise agreement.
Queensland unions have applied for a new redundancy standard that doubles severance pay to 16 weeks, extends entitlements to long-term casuals and removes the exemption for small business.
In an extraordinary broadside, the Cole Royal Commission has accused the IRC of "first degree negligence" in rubber-stamping agreements and the National Electrical Contractors Association of forgery.
The Tasmanian Government says its new requirement for smokers to work make-up time for cigarette breaks will avoid OHS litigation and provide equity between smokers and non-smokers.
Tens of thousands of South Australian casual employees are now eligible for a year's unpaid parental leave after 12 months service, following a test case ruling.
The Howard Government plans to introduce five urgent IR bills when Parliament resumes this month, but most of them have already been rejected at least once by the Senate.
A new British Court of Appeal judgment underlines the difficulty employees face in claiming damages for the stigma of working for a dishonest employer, in the first test of the landmark House of Lords ruling in Malik v BCCI.
