Restaurant employers have applied to the FWC to vary the industry award to provide more flexibility to deal with the coronavirus virus, following on from similar cases involving clerical and hotels awards.
The FWC has approved a protected action ballot at a major personal protection equipment company declared an "essential business" in the battle against coronavirus, after the employer withdrew multiple objections.
FWC President Iain Ross will this afternoon hear a joint application by the UWU and the Australian Hotels Association to vary the hospitality award 2010 to help businesses to save jobs as the coronavirus crisis bites.
Coronavirus-driven cuts in domestic flights are hindering the movement of FIFO workers, causing some mining operations to look at special charter flights.
IR Minister Christian Porter told Parliament this afternoon that the Morrison Government has provided $42 million in extra funding to the FWO to boost its information systems as the coronavirus pandemic gathers pace.
The Queensland Teachers' Union has demanded that the Palaszczuk Government close the State's schools by Wednesday, leaving open the possibility of strike action if it does not respond.
Aviation unions have demanded that a $715 million support package flow to workers rather than help prop up the finances of airlines during the COVID-19 crisis.
Qantas will stand down two-thirds of its 30,000 employees for at least 10 weeks as it imposes further cuts to flights after the latest Federal Government advice against travelling overseas.
The "exceptional circumstances" created by COVID-19 warrant delaying the operative date of any minimum wage increase by a fortnight to July 15, according to the Ai Group, while the Victorian Government is calling for a rise of at least 3%.
Virgin Australia has warned of redundancies after deciding to suspend all international flights and to cut domestic capacity in half due to the coronavirus crisis.
