Australia's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.7% in July, the latest ABS Labour Force figures have revealed. The number of people unemployed decreased by 5,700 people to 705,400 in July, the ABS reported. The number of people employed decreased by 10,200 to 11,653,200, with full-time employment decreasing by 6,700 people to 8,133,900, and p...
Unemployment rate steady at 5.7%
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Full Court split over ‘mutual trust and confidence' in employment
In a long-awaited legal development, a Full Federal Court majority has upheld the existence of a mutually implied term of trust and confidence within Australian employment contracts. The ruling is the first appellant court determination of the implied term. It opens up employers to hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages if they act “with...
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Holden delays ‘wage-freeze' vote
Holden has extended the deadline for workers to vote on its cost-cutting proposals, following complaints its original document to vary the enterprise agreement was “unreadable”. The company was scheduled to hold a secret ballot on a range of cost-cutting proposals - including a wage freeze until 2016 and changes to overtime and shift pa...
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Toll and TWU back in talks
Toll and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) were back in talks at presstime in an attempt to nut out a deal over the latest enterprise agreement (EA) ahead of possible strike action ( WF18753 , WF18774 ) . In a sign both sides may be nearer a solution, the TWU this week agreed to extend its protected action ballot for a further three weeks (until Mo...
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MUA rally at PWCS Newcastle
WFD: The Maritime Union of Australia's (MUA) stoush with Port Waratah Coal Services (PWCS) continued at a mass rally called by the union outside the front gate of the company's Newcastle terminal on Thursday (August 8). The union has been at loggerhead with PWCS for several months over negotiations for a new enterprise agreement ( WF18664 ) . The u...
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ACTU = ALP ‘cheer squad': Abetz
Opposition WR spokesperson Senator Eric Abetz has dismissed Ged Kearney's speech (see above) as “usual, predictable pre-election ACTU posturing”. “The Coalition released a policy more than three months ago which will ensure employers and employees are better off and adopt a number of recommendations of Labor's own Fair Work Review...
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FWC and lawyers failed to spot invalid unlawful termination claim
WFD: The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has narrowly rejected an employee's bid to make a general protections claim involving dismissal months after he realised he had lodged an unlawful termination claim in error. In his decision considering "exceptional circumstances", Deputy President Val Gostencnik dealt in part with s 723 , which bars an applicant...
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Qld Govt fails in bid for direct ballot
WFD: The Qld Industrial Relations Commission has refused an application from the Public Service Commission (PSC) to conduct a direct ballot of public servants as a way of trying to break the stalemate over a new enterprise agreement. The PSC had sought to put questions to its 50,000 public servants on wage increases and conditions relating to its "...
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Unemployment rate steady at 5.7%
WFD: Australia's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.7% in July, the latest ABS Labour Force figures have revealed. The number of people unemployed decreased by 5,700 people to 705,400 in July, the ABS reported. The number of people employed decreased by 10,200 to 11,653,200, with full-time employment decreasing by 6,700 people to 8,133,900, ...
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Wage obfuscation no barrier to PABO
WFD The Fair Work Commission has indicated that a bargaining party not revealing its position on wages does not necessarily mean it was not genuinely trying to reach agreement. Golden Circle had objected to a National Union of Workers' (NUW) protected action ballot order (PABO) bid on the grounds the union was either "obfuscating on the question of...
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AMMA-commissioned report puts squeeze on MUA to lower sights
WFD: Increased labour costs in the offshore oil and gas industry have "significantly impacted" the industry's international competiveness, an Australian Mines & Metals Association (AMMA) commissioned report says. AMMA released the Deloitte Access Economics report, Analysis of the offshore oil and gas marine support sector, to coincide with the ...
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Bechtel sacking of malingering and intemperate rigger deemed unfair
WFD: In a curious case, the Fair Work Commission has ruled Bechtel acted harshly in sacking a construction worker who was a malingerer, skipped work to go to the Melbourne Cup, failed a blood and alcohol test, and used abusive language when speaking to managers. Even Senior Deputy President Peter Richards felt compelled to comment on the incongruit...
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TattsBet vague language leaves door open for adverse action claim
WFD: In a decision reinforcing the need for employers to be clear and unequivocal in communication when terminating employment, the Fair Work Commission has granted an extension of time for a Tatts Group company TattsBet employee to bring an adverse action claim. Telephone betting operator Terri Moses lodged her s365 general protections claim again...
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Govt announces super and minimum wage FWC panels
WFD: Economist and former Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) advocate Tim Harcourt and ex-Treasury secretary Tony Cole have garnered spots as expert panel members on the next annual minimum wage review. Labour economist Professor Sue Richardson - a part-time member in the last minimum wage review - will resume her role on the panel. Workplac...
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12% over 3yrs Vic Parliament staff EA closes 'Symes' PPL loophole
WFD: The Fair Work Commission this week approved an enterprise agreement for more than 400 Victorian Parliament electorate officers. The three-year Members of State Parliament Staff Agreement will take effect on August 13, and provides for 3%-a-year wage increases and a $1,000 bonus. Electorate officers should receive the bonus and a 3% increase ba...
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Full bench to hear NTEU v Monash one-hour exam results ban appeal
WFD: The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has appealed a decision handing down a "nominal" one-hour suspension of an exams results ban at Monash University. In his decision Vice President Michael Lawler conceded his order suspending the NTEU exam results ban for one hour from midnight on July 27 would inevitably be appealed (WF18785) . The ...
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Diary
14th Annual McCullough Robertson Workplace Relations and Safety Conference: August 9. Stamford Plaza (Cnr Edward & Margaret Streets), Brisbane. Details here . Fair Work Commission Workplace Relations Lecture Series: August 16, 1pm to 2pm. Room G08 (ground floor) Melbourne Law School, 185 Pelham Street, Carlton, Victoria. Dean Parham on 'Product...
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Holden delays 'wage-freeze' vote
WFD: Holden has extended the deadline for workers to vote on its cost-cutting proposals, following complaints its original document to vary the enterprise agreement was "unreadable". The company was scheduled to hold a secret ballot on a range of cost-cutting proposals - including a wage freeze until 2016 and changes to overtime and shift patterns ...
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Editorial Team
Editor: Rajiv Maharaj, (03) 8684 2139, rajiv.maharaj@thomsonreuters.com . Chief Journalist: David Marin-Guzman. Journalists: Steve Andrew, Paul Karp. Managing Editor: Peter Schwab. Product code: 314021718795. Twitter: @WorkforceTR
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IR academic Riley quits NTEU over plan to strike on Sydney Uni open day
Professor Joellen Riley, one of the country's foremost IR academics, has quit the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). Riley, dean of the Sydney University Law School, slammed the way the union has handled enterprise bargaining negotiations with the university.Riley told Workforce a number of NTEU members in the law faculty had raised concerns...
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