The ABCC is ready to pursue any complaints about building workers stopping work for tomorrow's union national day of action, but it won't be initiating its own investigations according to its head, John Lloyd. The watchdog has also made its first use of its coercive powers, he says.
Australia's biggest independent producers of AWAs are lobbying for changes to the Work Choices legislation to ensure employers that have used the individual contracts under the existing laws are not disadvantaged by the new laws, which impose new restrictions on cashing out.
The fast-track Senate inquiry into the Work Choices legislation begins in Canberra on Monday, with DEWR representatives - who will give an outline of the legislation - up first, followed by the state and territory ALP IR Ministers.
Opposition Leader Kim Beazley today reiterated that the ALP would "bin" the Work Choices legislation if elected to office, and accused Prime Minister John Howard of being determined to "tear this country apart" while pursuing his long-held IR "dream".
Employees will have no guarantee that public holidays falling in their leave periods will be credited, and employers will have new rights to direct employees when to take their holidays under the Work Choices legislation, according to the LHMU.
The Federal Government is unlikely to make any changes to the 38-hour week averaging provisions in its Work Choices legislation, or address Queensland National Senator Barnaby Joyce's concerns about companies restructuring to avoid unfair dismissal claims, Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews made clear today.
On the same day the Federal Government's second-wave IR laws passed through the House of Representatives, its bill linking higher education funding to IR changes has been approved by the Senate.
State wage case applications being lodged today by all state union peak councils other than Victoria are seeking that state industrial tribunals convene an unprecedented joint sitting to consider their cases.
Unions NSW will today seek a 4% safety net increase for state award workers, in a case coordinated with other state union peak councils around the nation in response to Federal Government plans to stymie the 2006 national wage case.
