ACTU secretary Sally McManus is hopeful that agreement can be reached on a legal definition of casual employees, despite the Morrison Government's IR working groups ending with recriminations between union and employer groups.
The Morrison Government will modestly increase funding to the Fair Work Commission over the next two years as part of its response to COVID-19, which is expected to drive up employer insolvencies and increase demand for the Fair Entitlements Guarantee scheme.
Any IR legislative package introduced by the Morrison Government after the working groups process will be pragmatic, balanced and realistic and won't be ideologically-driven, IR Minister Christian Porter told employers in WA this morning.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says a dispute between Patrick and MUA hasn't got to the point where it would be necessary to consider bringing in troops to ensure continuity of supply.
The FWC will this week hear an application by stevedore Patrick to terminate the MUA's protected action at its four container ports, while IR Minister Christian Porter has confirmed he will intervene in support of the company.
A key employer group has rejected ACTU claims that business interests advocated the re-introduction of Work Choices-style AWAs in the Morrison Government's IR working groups.
Qantas is considering a challenge to a Federal Court interpretation today of JobKeeper payment rules that will require it to backpay employees who received penalty rates in arrears while covered by the wage subsidy scheme.
Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker says the number of large corporations under investigation for underpayment has risen to 70, forcing the agency to redeploy staff while also having to deal with a spike in inquiries due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
