The "overwhelming majority" of employers should assume they have no power to force employees to vaccinate against COVID-19, IR Minister Christian Porter said today as his agencies issued new advice on workplace inoculations.
The FWC has given Santos, and AWU and the AMWU a recommended framework for consulting over pandemic-related proposals such as quarantining, suggesting they discuss current disputes concerning the gas giant's Cooper Basin workforce with a view to putting it into practice.
The FWC has rejected a long-serving worker's portrayal of herself as a "victim" of powerful HR forces, finding her displeasure at being asked to account for money raised for a deceased colleague's family led her into serious misconduct.
Ahead of its appearance today before the Senate inquiry into the Omnibus IR Bill, the Centre for Future Work has warned that as Australia experiences an unprecedented period of low pay growth, the legislation's changes "will exert additional downward pressure".
The FWC has warned the Morrison Government that its legislative plan to set a 21-day deadline for approval of enterprise agreements is "unnecessary and will have unintended consequences that are contrary to the interests of the bargaining parties".
The ALP caucus today resolved to oppose the Morrison Government's Omnibus IR Bill in its entirety, in a major shift from the more cooperative approach taken towards emergency legislation last year at the height of the pandemic.
Qantas in a Federal Court defence has hit back at TWU claims it rejected an in-house ground handling bid in order to diminish the union's influence and avoid agreement conditions, but the airline admits shutting it out of a preliminary process with external providers.
The ACTU will today begin a media campaign targeting the Morrison Government's Omnibus IR Bill, as Federal Parliament returns for its first sitting week of the year.
The Australian Hotels Association has proposed ahead of further conferences next week in the loaded rates case that the FWC extend the range of ordinary working hours when it considers simplified pay arrangements for the hospitality and retail sectors.