Employers that restructure to take advantage of artificial intelligence would be "responsible" for reskilling their workforces to avoid unnecessary redundancies, under a policy to be considered by this week's ALP national conference.
The Albanese Government has outlined for the first time the details of how it might implement its "same job, same pay" proposal that it framed to ensure labour hire arrangements are not used to undercut employees' pay and conditions.
Submissions are due next month on Albanese Government proposals to empower the FWC to set minimum standards and pay rates for those in "employee-like" forms of work, including in the gig economy, and to tackle disputes over contract terms and termination.
Victoria's Andrews Labor Government has pledged a more hands-on approach to regulating the gig economy, with plans to introduce legislation next year if it wins the November 26 State election.
The Albanese Government has confirmed its Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill to be into introduced into Parliament next Thursday will include measures to close the gender pay gap, but IR academic Shae McCrystal says any legislation must also provide a right to strike or compulsory arbitration for workers engaging in multi-employer bargaining.
As the Albanese Government continues talks on its planned introduction of national IR standards for the gig economy, NSW Labor is promising to deliver minimum rates, portable entitlements and workers compensation for platform workers in the State if it takes power next year.
In his first announcement as federal IR minister, Tony Burke has put closing the gender pay gap at the forefront of his agenda, while encouraging workers to join their unions.
The FWC faces major changes after the May 21 Federal election, with the winner entrusted with appointing a successor to President Iain Ross and Labor pledging to "rebalance" the tribunal after a succession of appointments from an employer background.
The FSU has vowed to continue pressuring financial services employers to ditch pay secrecy clauses following last week's decisions by the Commonwealth Bank and Westpac to expunge the obligations from new and existing contracts.