Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is trying to drum up public support from business and employer groups for the Fair Work Commission's landmark decision to cut Sunday penalty rates for some retail and hospitality workers.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has reiterated that Labor will reverse the FWC's "bad" decision to reduce weekend penalty rates if Labor takes power at the next federal election, while the ACTU's next secretary is calling for unions to join her in stopping the penalties changes "dead in their tracks".
The FWC has reduced Sunday penalty rates in the hospitality, retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors and pared-back public holiday penalties in five awards, in a landmark ruling today by a five-member full bench.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has flagged that Labor will seek to protect workers' take-home pay if the Fair Work Commission decides to reduce weekend penalty rates in its award review ruling.
The FWC has ordered the CFMEU's mining and energy division to stop inciting its members to ban overtime and take suspected sickies at AGL Energy's Loy Yang A power station.
The FWO has used accessorial liability provisions to secure substantial penalties across the chain of command of a frozen yoghurt franchise responsible for underpaying four overseas workers.
The chair of Victoria's labour hire inquiry has asked police to consider investigating one of the state's leading poultry producers for advising an employee that his job was in jeopardy if he continued to make "unsubstantiated" allegations about the company.
A university study of international students' employment conditions in food services shows they are receiving as little as $8 an hour and a median of $17, well below the award rate of about $21.
The FWC's much-anticipated ruling on weekend penalty rates is still likely to be months away, after the Commission called on the Australian Industry Group to provide further details on the days and times that casual fast food employees prefer to work.
