IR Minister Christian Porter has sought to address unions' concerns about proposed JobKeeper changes to the Fair Work Act to deal with the coronavirus crisis, saying they will apply for only six months, but maintains that the Government is determined to pass the legislation on Wednesday
The ACTU is pressing crossbenchers to oppose the Morrison Government's proposal to amend the Fair Work Act to temporarily provide more flexibility in awards and agreements to deal with the coronavirus crisis when it legislates the JobKeeper wage subsidy program this week.
Canberra asks FWC wage panel to maintain jobs; PM urges employers to take JobKeeper "guarantee" to their banks; Opposition raises JobKeeper issues with Government; FWC floating new coronavirus statutory declaration requirements; and Coronavirus crisis no time for AMMA proposal, says Porter.
The FWC has called on the ACTU to urgently step in and take the lead on settling disputes between several unions and Qantas over the airline's refusal to pay sick leave to workers stood down due to the coronavirus.
A full Federal Court has quashed an FWC full bench agreement variation ruling that endorsed a senior member's belief that he could not consider evidence about the intended meaning of a clause because he did not interpret it as ambiguous.
The ACTU has resisted employer arguments to delay any rise in minimum pay, while it has accepted that the annual wage review timetable should be amended to enable the expert panel to consider national accounts data that is likely to identify the early economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has described his government's close consultation with the Opposition in drafting legislation to give effect to the JobKeeper coronavirus wage subsidy program that will be put to Parliament next week, while joining IR Minister Christian Porter in thanking unions for their cooperation in achieving "massive" temporary IR changes.
The FWC has moved on its own initiative to introduce two weeks' unpaid "pandemic leave" for millions of award-covered workers, as the coronavirus crisis continues.
The FWC says the first application to vary an enterprise agreement in response to the coronavirus will be heard by a full bench to determine whether the "exceptional circumstance" provisions apply.
The FWC has expedited the hearing of the restaurant industry's bid to vary its award to boost hours and leave flexibility as it shifts to a COVID-19 business model based on takeaways and home delivery.
