Many workers are yet to gain the full benefit of the Albanese's initial rounds of IR changes because of loopholes that allow employers to undermine pay and conditions, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke told Parliament as he introduced his third tranche of workplace law reform this afternoon.
The Albanese Government's "Closing Loopholes" legislation will empower the FWC to set minimum standards for truck drivers while requiring that its orders do not adversely affect the viability and competitiveness of owner-drivers.
Federal Treasury is consulting on draft legislation that will enshrine an objective for super of preserving savings "to deliver income for a dignified retirement, alongside government support, in an equitable and sustainable way", partly to prevent a repeat of the Coalition's coronavirus early release policy.
The FWC has confirmed that stopping work to post on social media about bargaining can be protected industrial action, even if it might breach workplace policy.
The Albanese Government's legislative changes to "close the labour hire loophole" will rely on aggrieved parties seeking orders from the FWC to ensure on-hire workers are paid the same rates as those in the host employer's enterprise agreement.
Employers face ten years in prison and maximum fines of $8 million or up to three times the stolen sum if it exceeds the cap, under new criminal sanctions in the Albanese Government's "Closing Loopholes" legislation, to be introduced into Federal Parliament tomorrow.
Workers at Chevron's Wheatstone downstream and Gorgon operations have overwhelmingly voted down the company's proposed agreement, ahead of protected action that is due to start late next week.
The FWC has issued two consent orders in one of its first s-xual harassment dispute cases, in which teenage parties in the proceedings have agreed not to discuss an "inappropriate" video recording, with the viewing or circulation of it possibly constituting a criminal act.
IR and employment law academics have welcomed the Albanese Government's "critically important" decision to introduce a definition of "employee" into the Fair Work Act but questions remain over the creation of a lower-rights "employee-like" category for gig workers.
