Category: industrial relations

Australia’s Contentious Industrial Relations Bill Passes, Industries Concerned While Unions Celebrate

The Australian government has passed its industrial relations bill, which is intended to help workers receive better wages and work conditions. “The Albanese Labor Government has delivered on the next step of its plan to lift wages, improve job security, and start closing the gender pay gap,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “By modernising the…


New South Wales Health Workers to Strike on Thursday Over Wages

Thousands of Australian workers across the health sector will walk off the job on Thursday in a state-wide strike across New South Wales (NSW), demanding a higher pay rise. Health Services Union (HSU) said that with the latest inflation figures at 3.5 percent and expected to rise, health and hospital workers needed a pay rise…


One of Australia’s Most Prestigious Universities is Alleged to Have taken $17 Million in Wage Payments

One of Australia’s most prestigious universities, RMIT University in Melbourne, has been accused of significant and systemic wage theft by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). The union alleged hundreds of casual academic staff were affected over several years. In a media release on Sept. 20, the NTEO said according to its calculations, RMIT allegedly underpaid hundreds…


One of Australia’s Most Prestigious Universities is Alleged to Have Withheld $17 Million in Wage Payments

One of Australia’s most prestigious universities, RMIT University in Melbourne, has been accused of significant and systemic wage theft by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). The union alleged hundreds of casual academic staff were affected over several years. In a media release on Sept. 20, the NTEO said according to its calculations, RMIT allegedly underpaid hundreds…


Previously Dropped IR Reform Is Back on the Table

The Morrison government plans to bring industrial relation reforms, which had been decimated, back on the table for negotiation as the next federal election approaches. In March, the coalition government rushed to pass its controversial omnibus IR Bill and ended up stripping away every provision except changes surrounding casual workers and its definition. In response,…


‘Policy Making Madness’: New Zealand Pushes for Collective Bargaining in Radical Labour Law Reform

The New Zealand government on May 7 unveiled a new collective bargaining system marking the biggest reform of the country’s employment laws since the early 1990s. The changes have been met with fierce opposition from the business community, who say the process would be compulsory and against international law. The plan, called the Fair Pay…


Australia’s Leading Business Groups Urge PM Not to Abandon IR Reforms

A watered-down industrial relations omnibus bill has passed through Australia’s Senate but industry leaders have urged the federal government not to give up on the scrapped provisions. The government dumped its provisions on enterprise agreements, award simplification, greenfield agreements, and wage theft after it failed to gain enough support for the omnibus bill. Australia’s leading…


Industrial Relations Bill Stripped Back After Centre Alliance Refuses to Back Other Provisions

The Morrison government may be able to pass the controversial industrial relations bill before the end of this week after amending the bill to secure the vote of the Centre Alliance’s Stirling Griff. However, to gain Griff’s support of the bill the coalition has had to strip away the majority of its proposed provisions. In a post written…


Leading Industry Groups Stand Behind Post-Pandemic Workplace Reforms

CEOs from leading Australian industry groups are pushing for the Senate to approve contentious industrial relations laws this week, arguing there is no “valid reason” for the Bill to be delayed. “The certainty that these reforms will deliver is needed urgently to boost confidence, investment, and job creation to complete the recovery and help put…


Labor Continues Push for Industrial Relations Reforms to Be Scrapped

Labor has signalled it would continue fighting the coalition’s industrial relations reform even after the most controversial part has been scrapped. Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter dropped a provision that would enable the suspension of the Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) for businesses affected by the COVID-19 restrictions. The government-backed down on BOOT changes as…