Under arrangements agreed to today between lawyers acting for the ACTU and counsel assisting the inquiry, unions will have until 2pm this Thursday to file written submissions, if they want to continue with the application to have Commissioner Heydon disqualified from presiding over the Royal Commission.
The ACTU is today seeking documents relating to the controversial invitation for Royal Commissioner Dyson Heydon to speak at a Liberal Party fundraising event, to see if there is sufficient evidence of bias to launch a case calling for his dismissal.
The ACTU is seeking to build opposition to cutting weekend penalty rates through a mass door-knock in marginal seats across Australia in mid-September, while employer associations are pushing crossbench senators to back the Government's bill to re-establish the ABCC.
The Productivity Commission has called for the FWC in its four-yearly review of awards to align Sunday penalty rates in hospitality, entertainment, restaurants and cafes with those payable on Saturdays.
The Productivity Commission in its draft IR inquiry report, released this morning, has recommended the 100% Sunday penalty rates for cafes, hospitality, entertainment, restaurants and retailing be aligned with Saturday rates.
Maritime unions are taking the federal government to the High Court, alleging it is misusing visas reserved for visiting royals and dignitaries to "open the backdoor to cheap foreign labour" in the offshore oil and gas industry.
Labor has today accused Australian Public Service Commissioner John Lloyd of favouritism towards his own workforce to get his agreement across the line.
The future of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal remains unclear, despite Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss stating last month that it would continue.
The High Court has granted special leave for the federal government, the CFMEU and the CEPU to challenge a full Federal Court judgment that effectively stops the FWO and FWBC from continuing their practice of providing "agreed" penalty ranges to courts.
Federal Labor has today launched a taskforce that will this month start seeking the views of the public and IR practitioners on the Abbott Government's IR policies.
