For our final story of the year, Workplace Express asked those involved in the major IR stories of 2002 to finish the phrase, "I'm dreaming of . . . . . . .". Here are their answers.
The Victorian MTFU has invited major manufacturing employers to a meeting on January 15 next year for the first round of negotiations over its Campaign 2003 claim, which includes an 18% pay rise over three years, a 36-hour week, and trust fund contributions of annual and long service leave.
NSW IRC says no jurisdictional barrier to bargaining fees in agreements; Abbott to boost sanctions for unions defying s127 orders; Safety net case begins March 31; Waterfront productivity falls; Ruling in marathon Gough & Gilmour case; GIO deal gets up; Unions seek email access to members at Channel 7; Discrimination victim up for costs; Ergon workers walk out over radiation; Federal Court full bench to rule in Cosma case; and ASIC issues guidelines on labour standards.
Boss bites worker at Christmas party; FSU says ANZ refusing to keep mother's job open; Discrimination agency to intervene in NSW hours case; Progress for women in the law; Compensation for constructive dismissal; and new books on works councils and HR jargon.
NSW public sector nurses have convinced a NSW IRC full bench that they should be paid a 6% wage increase from January next year, despite being in the middle of a deal that provides 4% at the same time.
Some 50 award-free senior white-collar employees of a company in receivership have won access to severance benefits, after the AIRC made employment termination orders under s170FB.
The NSW IRC has highlighted the problems of letting friendly social behaviour permeate into the workplace, saying conduct that is harmless outside work hours could be considered offensive in the office.
In the first test of WA's new right of entry provisions, the State IRC has found BHP Billiton could not insist that union officials' entry be conditional on them submitting to random drug and alcohol tests.
