Victoria's Andrews Labor government has committed almost $250 million to fund a two-year Australian-first pilot scheme giving paid sick leave to casual and contract workers in selected industries, while not revealing how it will be funded in the longer-term.
The main union representing coal mineworkers is pouring resources into advocating for Labor's election pledge of "same job, same pay" for labour hire workers across key resources seats in NSW and Queensland.
The Federal Court in agreeing to discontinue a casuals class action against Mount Arthur Coal and labour hire provider TESA has put to bed uncertainty over limitation periods to ensure the companies are not "forever exposed to the risk" of group members' claims.
The FWC faces major changes after the May 21 Federal election, with the winner entrusted with appointing a successor to President Iain Ross and Labor pledging to "rebalance" the tribunal after a succession of appointments from an employer background.
The Victorian Government's Australian-first pilot scheme to provide sick leave to casual and contract workers in selected industries has come under immediate fire from the Coalition and employer groups.
The MUA is suing Qube and its IR general manager over alleged reckless misrepresentations that wharfies do not accrue long service leave from their earlier periods of casual employment and that it is calculated according to hours rather than years of service.
In a rare test of the Fair Work Act's new casual conversion provisions, the FWC has recommended an employer review a worker's request in six months and consider establishing a core workforce of permanent employees.
The labour hire company at the centre of a historic High Court ruling on employment status is shifting to paying its workers as casuals, while taking legal advice on longer-term arrangements, and is facing a backpay claim that the CFMMEU claims could reach $60 million.
If the Federal Government appoints a new member to the FWC, they are likely to be located in Sydney, the tribunal's general manager told a Senate Estimates hearing last night.
A senior FWC member has invited "relevant authorities" to investigate a potentially fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination certificate supplied to an employer by a worker claiming to have been unlawfully stood down.
