Industrial Relations

HR managers say labour costs soaring under Fair Work Act: Survey

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:59:20 +0000

The people charged with administering the Fair Work Act have mixed feelings about the legislation, although sentiment is souring, with human resources professionals reporting that labour costs have increased and the needs of small business are not being adequately addressed.

Why Fair Work Australia's community sector pay decision is a huge misstep: Kohler

ekrieger@smartcompany.com.au (Alan Kohler) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:53:14 +0000

Yesterday's equal pay decision for female social and community workers has been hailed up and down the land and described by both the Minister for Industrial Relations and the prime minister as "good for the sector, good for caring workers, good for women, good for families and good for the economy".

Fair Work’s flexibility clauses slammed as “unworkable”

ekrieger@smartcompany.com.au (Michelle Hammond ) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:49:00 +0000

Business groups have criticised the Fair Work Ombudsman for failing to properly administer flexibility clauses in the Fair Work Act, claiming small business owners need more guidance.

Small business council pushes PM on awards

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Myriam Robin) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:17:25 +0000

The Council of Small Business of Australia has called on the government to simplify workplace agreements.

Fair Work review broad enough, experts say, but Govt commitment to change questioned

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:29:01 +0000

The review of the Fair Work Act is broad enough for people to get their views across, experts say, but the one-month timeframe and the Government's willingness to change the laws if need be are still in question, experts say.

Hotels association says rostering rules confusing, encourage industry to use casual rather than permanent staff

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:58:45 +0000

The Australian Hotels Association says rostering rules are creating confusion among hoteliers, and are encouraging them to take on casual workers rather than permanent workers.

Staving off an OHS catastrophe? Gottliebsen

ekrieger@smartcompany.com.au (Robert Gottliebsen) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:42:08 +0000

Bad drafting by inexperienced Canberra public servants, which was not picked up by politicians, is causing chaos in Australia's drive to have uniform occupational health and safety rules. The wording in the proposed Commonwealth uniform laws is so bad that it threatens Australian volunteers, ranging from scouts to football administrators.

Tourism bodies say 24-hour tourism industry struggling with penalty rates

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:35:32 +0000

Tourism bodies say the industry is struggling with penalty rates, and warn that the expiration of enterprise bargaining agreements will put further strain on operators, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in regional and rural areas.

Fair Work admits online pay calculator errors – where can SMEs turn for advice on pay rates?

pstafford@smartcompany.com.au (Patrick Stafford) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:59:00 +0000

The Fair Work Ombudsman has admitted that some companies may have been given the wrong advice after using the regulator's online calculator for pay rates, saying it has now corrected 40 errors that caused the app to give wrong totals.

Retailers call for more education on wages after Fair Work report reveals SMEs confused on pay

pstafford@smartcompany.com.au (Patrick Stafford) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:37:48 +0000

Australian retailers have criticised the findings of a new Fair Work Ombudsman report revealing 26% of 1,800 businesses surveyed were incorrectly paying their employees, saying the result implies SMEs are confused about current wage rates and industrial relations law.

Masterchef star George Calombaris slams penalty rate regime

ekrieger@smartcompany.com.au (Andrew Crook) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:35:31 +0000

MasterChef star George Calombaris has launched a spray at the Gillard government's Fair Work Act, claiming that public holiday and weekend penalty rates have the potential to force his new restaurant venture to the wall.

SMEs urged to get on top of New Year changes to warranty and OHS laws

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:14:10 +0000

Small- and medium-sized enterprises are being urged to take heed of new laws covering consumer guarantees and warranties and workplace health and safety that have taken effect in the New Year.

IR lawyers surprised as Fair Work Australia reinstates worker sacked for “distasteful” Facebook comments

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:26:39 +0000

A union delegate has won an unfair dismissal case against transport giant Linfox, with the industrial umpire ordering a quick reinstatement and compensation for lost wages despite the fact he made derogatory comments about two managers on Facebook.

Fair Work review should focus on adverse action, unfair dismissal protections, workplace legal expert says

pstafford@smartcompany.com.au (Patrick Stafford) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:55:21 +0000

The Fair Work review panel should investigate adverse action protections and the unfair dismissal claim process in order to shore up protections for small businesses, one expert has said as a Government-appointed group prepares to scrutinise industrial relations laws.

Fair Work is a nightmare and this review won't change a thing: Kohler

ekrieger@smartcompany.com.au (Alan Kohler) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 22:40:44 +0000

The word "productivity" didn't make it into Bill Shorten's press release yesterday announcing a review of the Fair Work Act, or into the terms of reference. There is no one from business on the panel and nothing in the terms of reference about asking businesses whether the Act is working for the.

Business reacts strongly to union push towards mandatory arbitration

pstafford@smartcompany.com.au (Patrick Stafford) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:49:34 +0000

The business community has hit out against a push led by the Government to increase the possibility for wage negotiations to be decided through arbitration, saying there would be no incentive for unions to enter negotiations.

Experts tip disputes to increase as working days lost to industrial relations rise to seven-year high

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:44:18 +0000

The number of industrial disputes, days lost to industrial action and employees involved in disputes all lifted over the September quarter according to new official figures, and experts expect disputes to continue to rise as enterprise bargaining agreements roll over in 2012.

Quarter of managers use social media to screen candidates, but legal expert urges caution on discrimination laws

ekrieger@smartcompany.com.au (Myriam Robin) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:01:44 +0000

An industrial relations lawyer says that while employers are free to use the information available on social media sites to vet potential employees, they should be careful of falling foul of the anti-discrimination laws.

Small business hits out at ACTU push to restrict use of contractors and outsourced labour

pstafford@smartcompany.com.au (Patrick Stafford) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:02:09 +0000

The Australian Council of Trade Unions has passed new resolutions it intends to take to the ALP conference next week in a push to increase workers' access to arbitration and fight the use of contractors and casuals by employers.

IR experts say Qantas arbitration process won’t drag on

mheffernan@smartcompany.com.au (Madeleine Heffernan) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 23:23:47 +0000

National carrier Qantas says looming arbitration with key unions should give customers "absolute confidence" in booking flights, with industrial relations experts tipping a binding decision will be made sooner rather than later.