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.
The ACCC has granted urgent interim authorisation to enable life insurers to co-ordinate to ensure a broad range of frontline healthcare workers are not excluded from coverage due to potential or actual exposure to COVID-19.
The IR system will need to change to deal with challenges arising from the COVID-19 "new normal" of working from home, according to a briefing paper by the Centre for Future Work.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described his government's close consultation with the Opposition in drafting legislation to give effect to the JobKeeper coronavirus wage subsidy program that will be put to Parliament next week, while joining IR Minister Christian Porter in thanking unions for their cooperation in achieving "massive" temporary IR changes.
The Morrison Government has today committed to a "job keeper" wage subsidy scheme that will provide a flat $1500 a fortnight for workers with employers that have suffered a downturn of at least 30% to 50% due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Restaurant employers have applied to the FWC to vary the industry award to provide more flexibility to deal with the coronavirus virus, following on from similar cases involving clerical and hotels awards.
The coronavirus crisis has prompted the Morrison Government to suspend its consultations over further changes to IR laws, including the introduction of criminal penalties for the worst cases of underpayment.
The Queensland Teachers' Union has demanded that the Palaszczuk Government close the State's schools by Wednesday, leaving open the possibility of strike action if it does not respond.
