As NSW's Berejiklian Government prepares to outsource some bus services in metropolitan Sydney, it has seen off a union bid to win a five-year employment guarantee, enhanced redundancy entitlements and transfer payments for transport workers moved to a private provider in Newcastle.
Just a week after RBA Governor Philip Lowe called for workers to push for bigger wage rises, the FWC has approved a deal that secures increases of just 2% a year for his own 1000-strong workforce, but with the prospect, for some, of also winning performance-based bonuses.
The FWC has cleared the road for the Metropolitan Fire Brigade to continue disciplinary action against a suspended firefighter who repeatedly made threatening and profane comments on public social media channels, including the MFB's own.
The FWC has declined to issue anti-bullying orders despite finding the allegations proved, reasoning that the employer had sufficiently reduced the risk of further incidents by changing the antagonist's job to ensure minimal contact between the parties.
Loy Yang power station and mine workers have conceded the possibility of forced redundancies and increased use of contractors in exchange for annual 5% pay rises in voting up a new enterprise agreement with operators AGL Energy.
Senator Nick Xenophon has won support for a Senate inquiry that will investigate enterprise agreements by big corporations that trade off penalty rates.
The AWU has welcomed the selection of a preferred buyer for the steelmaker Arrium, while warning that further taxpayer funding will be needed from the Federal and SA governments.
The Australian Federal Police has hit back at claims its officers stand to lose up to 23% of their salary under a proposed agreement which the police union claims will leave all members worse off.
