Former long-serving SDA national secretary Joe de Bruyn and HR Nicholls Society founding president John Stone are among those recognised in this year's Queen's Birthday honours.
Former ACTU secretary Bill Kelty has led tributes to union leader Laurie Carmichael as a key contributor to the 38-hour working week, the Accord with the Hawke and Keating Labor governments, universal superannuation and Medicare.
Opposition launches site for labour hire grievances; Sacked Asperger's sufferer granted time extension; Vale David Duncan; IMF has mixed views on NZ IR changes; High Court reserves decision in $6.5 million case.
Former Prime Minister John Howard says that of the five big economic reforms Australian governments has implemented over the last 30 years, industrial relations is the only one that has gone backwards.
A firebrand ex-leader of the meatworkers' union, Wally Curran, has died in Melbourne, rekindling memories of his famous falling out with former ACTU president and future Labor prime minister, Bob Hawke.