This Month
CFMEU let off the hook by watchdog for ‘most serious’ threats: judge
A Federal Circuit Court judgment raises questions about the Fair Work Ombudsman’s appetite to enforce workplace laws on construction sites since Labor took power.
- Hannah Wootton
Employees who refused WFH jobs get cut in redundancy payout
The Fair Work Commission has for the first time reduced payouts for retrenched Bartercard employees because they did not accept job offers requiring them to work entirely from home.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- Courts
Top silk to head new NSW Industrial Court
Three Sydney barristers have been chosen as judges for the new court, with leading employment law silk Ingmar Taylor, SC, to be the president.
- Michael Pelly and David Marin-Guzman
‘Two way street’: Umpire rules WFH push ignores face-to-face benefits
The Fair Work Commission has backed staff returning to the office for collaboration after dismissing a bank employee’s bid to work from home to care for his family.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- Workplace culture
Workers could get rights to double their holidays
Unions and employers are close to agreement on introducing a right for workers to take twice their annual leave on half pay.
- David Marin-Guzman
Labor push to delay aged care pay rise over worker shortage fears
The Albanese government has warned a large pay jump could fuel labour shortages and risk its budget strategy of cost of living relief without added inflation.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Exclusive
- ALP
CFMEU push to take control of the Labor Party
John Setka plans to use the militant union’s hundreds of delegates and members to boost its influence on internal ALP politics in Victorian and federal parliaments.
- David Marin-Guzman
Work from home rights will fuel tension in the workplace, AHRI warns
Human resources managers have intervened to oppose expanding work from home rights on grounds it will exacerbate tensions in the office between those who can work from home and those that cannot.
- David Marin-Guzman
More Queensland construction workers to get at least $200k a year
Civil contractors say the Queensland Labor government has “created a monster” with its civil project conditions that are lifting costs for everyone.
- David Marin-Guzman
Last thing Australia needs ‘is another car industry’, warns MCA boss
Labor should lay off “steering” business, invest in R&D and work with, rather than against, trade partners, says Minerals Council CEO Tania Constable.
- Jacob Greber
Din Tai Fung fined $4m for ‘calculated scheme to rob employees’
Popular dumpling chain Din Tai Fung and two of its senior managers have been fined more than $4 million for a fraudulent scheme that underpaid the workforce and created fake pay records to conceal the truth.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
Umpire warns of higher consent standards as ‘groping’ sacking upheld
The Fair Work Commission has upheld Alcoa’s summary dismissal of a veteran employee for touching a female inappropriately as he squeezed past her.
- David Marin-Guzman
IR laws thwart Australia’s housing targets: builders
Labor’s union-friendly industrial relations laws will cause Australia to fall short of national housing targets for four of the next five years, industry claims.
- Tom McIlroy and Campbell Kwan
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Government needs to remove the barriers to business dynamism
Industrial relations and overbearing regulators are making life harder for Australian businesses, but it doesn’t need to be that way.
- Allegra Spender
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Tax review to avoid an ‘intergenerational tragedy’
Incremental change is a waste of time. Ken Henry says someone has to grab this thing and get on with it.
- The AFR View
Labour pools should face competition scrutiny: lawyers
Legal experts warn arrangements where employers can share their employees under multi-employer agreements could hand unions control of labour supply.
- David Marin-Guzman
Employers to share workers in first multi-employer deal
A landmark agreement will introduce ‘pooled labour’ for the first time - but opponents warn it risks reducing jobs growth and undermining competition.
- David Marin-Guzman
Union delegates should get free iPads from bosses: CFMEU
Employers are protesting against a push for union delegate minimum rights including an iPad, a phone, filing cabinet and private lockable area.
- David Marin-Guzman
Airports strike threatens to disrupt school holiday flights
Aviation firefighters are threatening to walk off the job around the country after documents revealed major airports are at “extreme risk” from understaffing.
- David Marin-Guzman
Ban restraints on poaching staff: RBA board member
Workers should be allowed to solicit ex-colleagues to jump ship to competitors and staff should be paid while under non-compete clauses, a former judge has urged.
- David Marin-Guzman