The Albanese government has backed a real wage increase for the country’s “low-paid” workers, but it will be up to the industrial umpire to determine exactly who such an employee is. In its submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review — which covers almost 2.9 million award andContinue Reading
Millions of Australians could be granted the right to request to work from home should a bold plan from the peak union body be adopted. The Australian Council of Trade Unions want the overhaul so employers would only be able to refuse work from home requests on reasonable grounds andContinue Reading
Labor has been left scrambling, after the Greens snuck through criminal penalties that mean bosses who fail to comply with the “right to disconnect” could face jail time. The government’s Closing Loopholes No 2 Bill passed the Senate late on Thursday, after Labor clinched a deal with the minor partyContinue Reading
The price of having takeaway delivered or catching an Uber will rise under proposed changes to workplace rules, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has conceded. The mooted changes will give Australia‘s industrial umpire – the Fair Work Commission – the power to create minimum standards, including pay andContinue Reading
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka has condemned the government’s decision to block Qatar Airways from expanding its network into Australia. The Aussie airline entered into a partnership with the Doha-based carrier in September with the deal designed to benefit passengers including double airline points, lounge access and priority boarding andContinue Reading
Tougher rules that would make it harder for major corporations seeking to acquire their smaller rivals are set to be considered under a new two-year review into Australia’s competition settings. Announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Competition assistant minister Andrew Leigh on Wednesday, a new two-year review will be managedContinue Reading
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has voiced his confusion after business and industry groups vowed to fight reforms the government says it has no intention of pursuing. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Minerals Council of Australia, the Business Council and various other peak business, farming and industryContinue Reading
Anthony Albanese’s second suite of industrial relation reforms will be countered by a war chest backed by the country’s largest industry and business groups. A multimillion-dollar campaign – “A Better Way, for Better Pay” – launched on Monday has warned Australians of the danger of the union-backed Labor-proposed same job,Continue Reading
Australia’s lowest-paid workers are celebrating the news that the minimum wage is rising considerably in line with inflation, but it could be bad news for everyone else. Industry bodies and economists have warned the pay boost could worsen the financial situation for millions of Australians — including the very peopleContinue Reading
A fired up Penny Wong has described the opposition leader as “microwaved Tony Abbott” as she taunted the Coalition over its internal divisions on climate. Peter Dutton has publicly urged his troops to toe the line and vote against the government’s plan to overhaul the safeguard mechanism – a Abbott-eraContinue Reading