A unitary IR system built on the corporations power could be simpler than the current arrangements, cover 85% of employees and bring 800,000 award-free employees under the federal umbrella, according to two new discussion papers released by Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith.
The Federal Court has cleared the way for a WA branch of the ASU to go ahead with its disamalgamation bid, which it began after claiming its members were being poached.
Unions will be unable to win a dispute finding against employers whose employees' terms and conditions are determined by WA workplace agreements, following an IRC full bench decision.
Democrats IR spokesperson Andrew Murray has vowed to do everything possible to create a single national IR system, but has signalled that he won't support Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith's plan to retain WA workplace agreements under such a system.
Conservative think tank leader Des Moore has advocated abolishing the IRC and reverting to a common law system of employee-employer relations, while former IRC Senior Deputy President Keith Hancock says such an approach failed in the nineteenth century and was inherently hostile to collectivism in the labour market.
The CFMEU (mining & energy division) has labelled as "appalling" the IRC's final coal award simplification decision, which effectively freezes award pay rates on the basis that they are not properly fixed minimum rates.
Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith has told WA employers they would continue to have access to the State's individual contracts stream under a unitary IR system.
Awards continue to be the dominant form of employment regulation among members of employer body Australian Business Limited, according to a new ACIRRT report.
An Australia Institute report has criticised state governments' lack of accountability in assisting business, singling out call centres as attracting generous incentives while not always delivering benefits to tax payers.
Plastics and rubber manufacturer Quenos has locked out its 100 Victorian operators for two months after they refused to accept a deal that the rest of the workforce voted up.
