The New Zealand Labour party has put industry-wide bargaining on the table ahead of next month's national election after pledging to legislate Fair Pay agreements endorsed by former conservative Prime Minister Jim Bolger.
The ALP has produced a draft national platform that pledges to ensure that workers in the gig economy earn a living wage and have access to "the same protections and standards as all Australian workers", while vowing to address the broader challenges of insecure employment.
The union movement needs to build a "workers' claim" that lays out expectations and protections around working from home, according to ACTU secretary Sally McManus.
Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter will chair five working groups with the aim of producing a "practical reform" of the IR system to help grow jobs as the economy emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just days after the defeat of the Morrison Government's legislation to further regulate the conduct of employee organisations and their officials, IR Minister Christian Porter has released a discussion paper on cooperative IR that seeks feedback on the role unions can play in fostering harmonious workplace relationships.
One of the architects of the Howard Government's 1996 industrial laws, Jonathan Hamberger, wants to see further change in Australian workplaces, but no longer believes legislation is the key.
New Zealand will consider enabling unions and employers to charge a bargaining fee for non-members under a new system of fair pay agreements that would mandate minimum rates and conditions across low-paid industries.
