An AIRC full bench was referred to the fantasy world of Alice in Wonderland today to help decide its first ministerial review under the Work Choices changes.
The AIRC has for the third time in a month put off dealing with ABCC applications to intervene in employer cases seeking orders against unlawful industrial action.
The AIRC's decision this month to allow the ANF to take protected industrial action without a secret ballot has been challenged by the Federal Government, with a full bench set to hear the first-ever Ministerial review application under Work Choices tomorrow.
Federal Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews has, as expected, responded to employer concerns about the onerous new record-keeping requirements imposed by Work Choices, announcing today that no hours records would have to be kept for workers earning more than $55,000 annually and lacking an overtime entitlement, and that daily start and finish times would not have to be recorded for other employees not entitled to overtime.
A tribunal has found that it was sexual harassment for an employer to tell his receptionist that he loved her and wanted her and her children to move in with him.
Queensland Health has been ordered to pay $14,665 in compensation for the sexual harassment of a former employee who was subjected to unwanted touching, leering and sexual remarks and innuendo by a co-worker.
A High Court full bench majority has today ruled that 13 female long-term casual NSW school teachers were not subjected to indirect discrimination when they were denied access to a pay scale that allowed permanent teachers to earn up to $10,000 more each year.
Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews has quietly gazetted a new Regulation that allows employers involved in union bargaining to avoid penalties of up to $16,500 if a union refuses to sign an enterprise agreement after it has been voted up by employees.
NSW's Iemma Government will today ask the State Wage Case full bench to award a $20 flat pay rise to employees who continue to be covered by the State's IR system.
The ACTU has flagged that the High Court could open the way for a future Labor Government to directly legislate to set minimum wages, while the AMWU is pushing for the Federal Government to protect the Easter Tuesday public holiday which has been enjoyed by more than 40,000 metalworkers in NSW.
