Business groups are pushing the Abbott Government to drop a requirement in its Fair Work amendments that the FWC take account of prevailing industry standards in approving employer proposals to resolve deadlocked greenfields negotiations, in submissions to a Senate inquiry.
The Master Builders Association argues that scrutiny of enterprise agreements struck after April 24 when the new national construction Code was announced will stymie any "go early" bargaining push by building unions.
NSW Shadow IR Minister Adam Searle says the Baird Government has "busted" its wages cap with a new deal that goes beyond the 2.5% public service limit by paying for two-thirds of a recent massive rise in police officers' insurance premiums.
Australia Post acted harshly in disciplining two employees who had solid OHS reasons for refusing to work additional overtime, but was entitled to transfer their union delegate for his aggressive reaction to the sanctions, the Fair Work Commission has found.
New construction code to apply to agreements made after April 24; NSW IR minister to be Premier; Last COAG workplace relations council meeting; and Concern about loss of skills agency.
The Fair Work Commission has criticised an employer representative who filed a draft enterprise agreement for approval without sufficient evidence that it had been seen or approved by employees, saying her explanations about the deficiencies "could at best be described as prevarication".
Enterprise bargaining negotiations for Melbourne's firefighters are set to intensify, with the MFB taking the rare step of asking the Fair Work Commission to terminate its existing agreements in a bid to free itself from what it considers to be restrictive work practices.
The Federal Court has awarded a nursing assistant $15,500 for her employer's failure to follow the three-strike disciplinary procedure in its enterprise agreement, but rejected her claims that it breached an implied term of trust and confidence in her employment contract.
A Fair Work Commission full bench ruling has opened the door for unions to seek majority support determinations if they are eligible to represent a single employee to be covered by a proposed enterprise agreement.
Oil and gas companies are pushing the federal government to introduce special greenfields agreements lasting more than five years for "major" projects involving at least $50m in capital spending and to boost certainty by giving employers an automatic right to an arbitrated extension of the deals.