Multi-year enterprise agreements, flaws in the "standard" Wage Price Index measure and public sector pay caps partially explain recent low wages growth, which would otherwise have been up to one percentage point higher last year, according to new university analysis.
Howard Government Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith, the architect of the 1996 Workplace Relations Act and a prime mover with Patrick's Chris Corrigan in the landmark 1998 waterfront dispute, died today.
The federal government's efforts to rein in the ballooning costs of its FEG scheme have received a significant boost after an appeal court overturned a ruling that stripped it of priority status in seeking to recover almost $4 million paid to employees of a collapsed company.
The man who dramatically shut down his airline and locked out tens of thousands of employees has won the top Queen's Birthday honour, while AIMPE president Terry Snee has been recognised for his contribution to IR.
New ACTU secretary Sally McManus has defended her support for unionists to break "unjust laws", arguing the ability to strike is a "human right" and that Australia is out of step with international labour conventions.
Rio Tinto has agreed to sell its NSW coal interests – including the Coal & Allied operations that were at the centre of the late 1990s battle of the IR "titans" – to Chinese interests for $3.2 billion ($US2.45 billion).
Tensions in the senior ranks of the FWC have again entered the public domain with the resignation of Vice President Graeme Watson, effective from the end of next month.
Former FWC Vice President Michael Lawler has dropped Federal Court proceedings against Employment Minister Michaelia Cash over the Heerey inquiry into his conduct.
