By a 4:1 majority, the Fair Work Australia full bench has agreed to award Social and Community Sector (SACS) workers equal remuneration pay increases against the Modern Award at the rates recommended by the union-Federal Government joint submission. This despite rejecting both of the methods the submission used to justify the percentages: linking t...
SACS win for workers and unions; Watson says it's a loss for the law
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Editorial team
Editor: Rajiv Maharaj, (03) 8684 2139, rajiv.maharaj@thomsonreuters.com . Chief Journalist: Kate Corbett. Managing Editor: Peter Schwab.
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190 jobs to go as Mortein production moves offshore
Shortly before press time, multinational household and healthcare manufacturer Reckitt Benckiser (RB) announced it will close its Sydney factory in July and axe 190 jobs. The factory has been operating since 1963 producing Mortein and Dettol. RB Australia CEO Lindsay Forrest said production would move to factories in Europe, Asia, South Africa and ...
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HSU splinter group creates website
Health Services Union (HSU) national secretary Kathy Jackson has joined forces with a group of “concerned” members and set up a website she says is designed to help members understand what is going on within the embattled union. The group claims many members remain in the dark about what happened to prompt Fair Work Australia's investig...
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SDA retail short shift Fed Court appeal under way
The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association's (SDA) appeal against Fair Work Australia's decision to allow retail employers to reduce the minimum shift entitlement for school students from three hours to 1½hours kicked off in the Federal Court today. FWA Vice President Graeme Watson last June varied the General Retail Award 2010 to allow...
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Avalanche of equal pay applications on their way?
February 1, 2012 is a day that will never be forgotten by social and community services (SACS) sector workers across Australia. But employers are concerned today's equal remuneration order for SACS workers (above) could be used as a precedent to push for further pay rises in other female-dominated sectors. The Fair Work Australia full bench decisio...
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SDA retail short shift Fed Court appeal under way
WFD: The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association's (SDA) appeal against Fair Work Australia's decision to allow retail employers to reduce the minimum shift entitlement for school students from three hours to 1½ hours kicked off in the Federal Court on Wednesday (February 1). FWA Vice President Graeme Watson last June varied the General ...
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Avalanche of equal pay applications on their way?
February 1, 2012 is a day that will never be forgotten by social and community services (SACS) sector workers across Australia. But employers are concerned Wednesday's equal remuneration order for SACS workers (above) could be used as a precedent to push for further pay rises in other female-dominated sectors. The Fair Work Australia full bench dec...
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Abbott slams FW Act's productivity credentials
WFD: Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has attacked the Fair Work Act's record on productivity in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday (January 31). "There are many problems with the government's so-called Fair Work Act," he said. "There's a flexibility problem, a militancy problem but above all else a productivity problem which i...
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Manufacturing on the up - just
Manufacturing continues to hang tough, with a slight improvement in seasonally adjusted figures. The latest Australian Industry Group - PwC Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index released this week was up 1.4 points to 51.6 (readings above 50 indicate an expansion in activity). AiG chief executive Heather Ridout described the second consecut...
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Diary
Senate inquiry into the shortage of engineering and related employment skills: Submissions close today (February 3). Reporting date: June 30. See website . Federal Parliament: Both Houses resume sitting on Tuesday, Feb 7. See Parliament website . ADJ Contracting appeal: Directions hearing in the Federal Court, Melbourne on Feb 7. The Australian Ind...
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FM Jarrett warns employers not to ignore FW Act general protections
The Federal Magistrates Court has ordered a childcare business to pay more than $14,000 to a woman it sacked because she was pregnant. The court found Acorp Pty Ltd took adverse action against childcare centre worker Tracy Michelle Ucchino when it terminated her employment on March 8, 2010. Ucchino had worked at the company's Brisbane childcare cen...
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Holden job losses add to car industry woes
WFD: Holden's announcement this week it will shed 100 casual jobs from its South Australian plant was expected to increase pressure on the Opposition to water down plans to slash government handouts to the car industry. The news comes just a week after Toyota confirmed it would cut 350 full time jobs. The fate of government subsidies for the indust...
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Unions join forces with movie star to fight indigenous disadvantage
The ACTU has recruited actor Jack Thompson to help deliver better skills and job training opportunities to Indigenous Australians. Thompson already runs his own self-titled foundation which trains young indigenous people in construction trades. The partnership will aim to expand on this base, working closely with unions in the trade and education s...
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Suncorp fails stay attempt in health & safety EA clause case
WFD: Suncorp has failed in its bid to stay a ruling binding the company to a heath and safety clause in its national enterprise agreement. Last week (January 22), Commissioner Paula Spencer ruled the tribunal did have jurisdiction to hear a dispute resolution application brought by employee Coralynn Brewer ( WF18055 ) . Brewer claimed her manager h...
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Toyota blames FW laws
WFD: Car companies have been vocal in the past two weeks defending their patch, with Toyota Australia president Max Yasuda adding to the mix this week with an attack on Australia's industrial relations system. Among other things, Yasuda blamed the Fair Work Act for contributing to the industry's problems. AMWU vehicle division secretary Ian Jones s...
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FSU considering FWA action over Westpac jobs cull 'consultation'
The Finance Sector Union (FSU) has not ruled out a Fair Work Australia challenge against Westpac's decision this week to axe 400 jobs and move another 150 roles off-shore. Carter told Workforce there had been no consultation about the planned job cuts, other than the bank telling the union there would be one week of consultation before the redundan...
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FWA says Bunnings right to sack death threat employee
WFD: Fair Work Australia has upheld the dismissal of a Bunnings employee who threatened to shoot a female member of staff and "take out" the entire workforce at the hardware retailer's store in Cairns. The tribunal heard Bruce Potter worked for the hardware giant from June 19, 2007 until his summary dismissal on December 15, 2010. Bunnings dismisse...
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New CFMEU NSW exec seeks to work with industry
The new executive team elected to the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union NSW construction and general division is seeking a more collaborative relationship with the construction industry and employer groups to curb rising unemployment in the industry. During a late November meeting led by national secretary Dave Noonan, the union's state...
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Bowen Basin coal miners vote up fresh round of industrial action
With voting still taking place, a majority of Bowen Basin unionised coal miners has already supported renewing industrial action, the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) confirmed at press time. CFMEU mining and energy Qld district president StephenSmyth told Workforce the union had met with about 2,000 workers since yesterday who "vo...
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