The rapid rise of the "gig" economy has "normalised" sham contracting and exploitation of young workers, according to a submission to a Senate inquiry into corporate avoidance of the Fair Work Act.
The FWC has ordered Australia Post to allow Employment Minister Michaelia Cash to inspect the report of a confidential investigation into an employee's allegations against former CEPU leader Jim Metcher, after rejecting claims the document is privileged.
The Turnbull Government's national construction code is seeking to break the "cartel-like behaviour" between head contractors and construction unions, according to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, but legal expert Andrew Stewart says building companies are facing "a complete mess".
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has asked the Opposition to back new legislation that would scrap the Fair Work Act's mandatory four-yearly reviews of modern awards.
As a court fines a regional café more than $500,000 for exploiting overseas workers and the FWO pursues two other cafes for unlawful "cash-back" schemes, Ombudsman Natalie James has welcomed the Federal Government's commitment to introducing laws to prohibit such arrangements.
The Senate last night passed unamended the Turnbull Government’s legislation to reduce the phase-in period for the 2016 national construction code from two years to nine months.
The CFMEU says it will organise national protests and work stoppages in coming weeks with support from other unions and the ACTU to protest the return of the ABCC and the accelerated implementation of the 2016 national construction code.
The Turnbull Government has won support for an earlier start for the tougher national construction code, after a dramatic about-face by crossbench Senator Derryn Hinch.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has declared that energy will be the "defining debate" of the coming Federal parliament, rather than further promised IR changes and other new legislation.
