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WorkChoices an assault on the nation's institutions, say Democrats

The radical Work Choices bill is an unjustified assault on the cultural, economic, social, institutional, legal, political and constitutional underpinnings of work in Australia, according to the Democrats, while the Greens say it fails the Government's own benchmark of fairness, simplicity and choice.

Government senators lack courage, says Smith

Shadow IR Minister, Stephen Smith, today said the Senate was doing on IR what it did with the Telstra sale - acting as a "rubber stamp" for the Government.

Employers should prepare for bird flu now, say experts

Employers should be preparing their management strategies now for workplace absence rates as high as 50% if a bird flu pandemic occurs in Australia, according to leading researchers and academics at an Australian Industry Group conference this morning.

Work Choices too flawed to bother amending: Labor

The Work Choices legislation is so flawed that any amendments would "only marginally mitigated the intended and unintended consequences", according to the report on the bill by Opposition senators.

Coalition senators propose only minor changes to Work Choices

Coalition senators have, as expected, proposed changes around the edges only to the sweeping Work Choices bill. Their report makes just one recommendation - that the Senate pass the legislation - but it states that the committee "would like" the Government to consider amendments on the 38-hour week averaging provisions, the 90-day notice period for terminating agreements, the prohibited matter rules for pre-reform agreements, outworker protection, the federal trainee/apprentice provisions, and guaranteeing four weeks annual leave.

Court orders ACI to reinstate sacked union delegate

A Federal Court judge has reinstated an electrician and CEPU delegate sacked last month from ACI's Spotswood plant in Melbourne shortly after organising a stop work meeting to discuss the use of subcontractors at the site.

ILO endorses ACTU criticism of Cole laws

The International Labour Organisation has upheld an ACTU complaint that the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Act breaches ILO Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Don’t just rely on corporations power, say academics

The Howard Government could achieve a simpler and more comprehensive national IR system by broadening the constitutional basis of workplace laws beyond the corporations power, including restructuring the AIRC to jettison the negative legacy of its constitutional underpinnings while retaining the positive aspects, according to Victorian academics.