An FWU conference convened this afternoon to consider granting paid pandemic leave to vulnerable workers heard that the ACTU has asked Comcare and state-based workcover schemes to declare COVID-19 an occupational disease within the health industry.
The ACTU says that a trading halt on Virgin Australia shares underlines the need for an urgent Federal Government package to support the aviation industry.
As legislation establishing the Morrison Government's $1500 JobKeeper wage subsidy passed through Parliament without amendments last night, aviation unions and the ACTU are on several fronts challenging how Qantas intends to apply it.
Baiada workers have voted to accept the same deal they rejected a month ago, after the FWC dismissed a union bid for bargaining orders to return the chicken giant to COVID-affected negotiations.
The JobKeeper legislation will amend the Fair Work Act to enable qualifying employers to lawfully change workers' hours, duties, days and location, while empowering the FWC to adjudicate disputes, IR Minister Christian Porter said today.
In the first significant pandemic-related dispute over mass lay-offs to come before the FWC, the Federal Court's transcription service provider has been criticised for making "hollow" consultation promises and reminded to treat workers "with dignity in this time of crisis".
Federal Parliament is set to pass the Morrison Government's $130 billion JobKeeper wage subsidy tomorrow after changes agreed last night between IR Minister Christian Porter and ACTU secretary Sally McManus.
Porter rejects McManus model for JobKeeper casuals; Legislation only sure way to change awards, agreements, says Porter; Parliamentary library paper considers coronavirus wage subsidy programs; Analysis weighs up JobKeeper; Non-parties excluded from Federal Court "law search"; and McManus discusses JobKeeper, coronavirus measures.
