Pay and remuneration page 56 of 74

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is trying to drum up public support from business and employer groups for the Fair Work Commission's landmark decision to cut Sunday penalty rates for some retail and hospitality workers.

The FWO has recovered more than $100,000 for 10 Filipino seafarers who were paid international minimum rates while working in Australian waters.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has reiterated that Labor will reverse the FWC's "bad" decision to reduce weekend penalty rates if Labor takes power at the next federal election, while the ACTU's next secretary is calling for unions to join her in stopping the penalties changes "dead in their tracks".

The board of QBE Insurance Group has cut the remuneration of its chief executive, John Neal, by $550,000 because of his tardiness in disclosing that he was in a personal relationship with his personal assistant.

RBA Governor Philip Lowe today used a House committee public hearing to restate his view that Australia's recent record of negligable wage growth may be nearing an end, suggesting that an improving local outlook amid a rebounding global economy would see increased pressure on employers to share the proceeds.

The FWC has reduced Sunday penalty rates in the hospitality, retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors and pared-back public holiday penalties in five awards, in a landmark ruling today by a five-member full bench.

Private sector rates of pay excluding bonuses grew by a new record low of 1.8% in trend terms last year, according to ABS data released today.

The NSW Public Service Association has defied a court order restraining it from organising its members to strike in protest at the State Government's plans to privatise disability support work and will now face substantial penalties in the Supreme Court.

The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union says it has dozens of Bakers Delight agreements in its sights in today's first application to terminate an expired deal it alleges leaves some workers more than $2000 a year worse off than under the award.

Law firm Maurice Blackburn says that after a court judgment today almost 10,000 workers with intellectual disabilities are set to receive more than $100 million in compensation for the Federal Government's alleged indirect disability discrimination when it required that their pay be fixed using its wage assessment tool.