INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Unions run riot to kill workplace relations deal

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 29-Nov-16

The Federal Government is said to be close to securing a deal with Nick Xenophon regarding water reform in return for his support for its bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. However, the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union is launching a series of rolling stoppages at building sites in a campaign against the ABCC bill. The protected industrial ­action is aimed at putting pressure on construction firms to endorse enterprise bargaining agreements that do not comply with the new building code.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, KANE CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD, CIMIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX CIM, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS)

Turnbull in race to save IR agenda

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 28-Nov-16

The Australian Government has agreed to introduce a proposed "security of payments" regime for subcontractors in order to gain Senate crossbenchers’ support for a bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. However, the increased protection for subcontractors will be conditional on the passage of the ABCC bill through the upper house. Meanwhile, Senator Nick Xenophon will continue to push for increased water flows in the Murray-Darling river system.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF AGRICULTURE AND WATER RESOURCES, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF ENVIRONMENT, WATER AND NATURAL RESOURCES, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, QUEENSLAND. DEPT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND MINES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Clubs face union threat on penalties

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 24-Nov-16

The Queensland branch of United Voice has sent letters to club managers warning them of the possible consequences of reducing Sunday penalty rates. The union asks clubs to specify their position on Clubs Australia’s application for a reduction in Sunday wages, lodged with the Fair Work Commission. Clubs Queensland CEO Doug Flockhart and club managers have accused the union of using bullying tactics.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, CLUBS QUEENSLAND, CLUBS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND INCORPORATED, UNITED VOICE, REDLANDS SPORTING CLUB, MORETON BAY BOAT CLUB, SOUTHPORT SHARKS CLUB

ABCC set for action on site by year’s end

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Nov-16

The Federal Government may wait until the final week of parliament to pursue its bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission. It is optimistic that the majority of Senate cross-benchers will support the ABCC bill, after all but one voted for the bill to establish a registered organisations commission. The Government is holding talks with the Nick Xenophon Team regarding amendments to the ABCC bill to provide subcontractors with security of payment in the proposed building code.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ONE NATION PTY LTD, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Senate deal could see whistleblower bounty

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Original article by Matthew Knott, Georgia Wilkins
The Age – Page: 4 : 23-Nov-16

Senate crossbenchers Nick Xenophon and Derryn Hinch have warned that the Australian Government will face a backlash if it tries to back down on a deal to increase protection for whistleblowers. The Government agreed to the reforms in return for support for its bill to establish a registered organisations commission. The US system of paying bounties to whistleblowers is being considered by a parliamentary inquiry, which will report its recommendations by mid-2017.

CORPORATES
NICK XENOPHON TEAM, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY

ABCC could lead to rise in wages

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 18-Nov-16

Alice DeBoos, a partner at law firm K&L Gates, warns that wages in the construction sector could increase due to the Federal Government’s proposed building code. She says enterprise bargaining agreements that have been made since April 2014 will need to be renegotiated in order to comply with the code, and unions will seek a trade-off in return for scrapping non-compliant clauses. Senator Nick Xenophon and the Australian Industry Group have also expressed concern about the retrospective nature of the code.

CORPORATES
K&L GATES LLP, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Employers fear deals at risk with federal code

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Nov-16

The Federal Government’s proposed building code will apply retrospectively to enterprise agreements signed since April 2014. Employers want the code to apply only to agreements struck after the code takes effect. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has stressed that anxiety about the code is not warranted as it would apply only to new government contracts. The code will be introduced if the Australian Building & Construction Commission legislation is passed by Parliament.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

PM offers changes to secure IR bills

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Original article by David Crowe
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Nov-16

The Australian Government is willing to make amendments to its industrial relations bills in order to gain the Senate’s support when Parliament resumes. The Government will push ahead with the bill to establish a Registered Organisations Commission on 21 November 2016, and the proposed amendments are believed to include protection for whistleblowers and a stricter audit regime. The bill to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission will be debated on 22 November. The bills will require the support of at least eight cross-benchers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, FAMILY FIRST PARTY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY

PC head hits out at slow pace of workplace reform

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 4-Nov-16

The Federal Government has been urged to pursue industrial relations reform more vigorously. Productivity Commission chairman Peter Harris stresses the need for "continuous reform." He favours the creation of an independent agency whose role would be to determine the minimum wage and award standards. Harris will share his views on this topic with those attending a labour law conference in Melbourne on 4 November 2016.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Hanson to back building watchdog

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Original article by Ean Higgins
The Australian – Page: 4 : 25-Oct-16

One Nation’s caucus will decide whether to support legislation to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission on 7 November 2016. Party leader Pauline Hanson has given indications that One Nation is likely to back the legislation, which has already been passed by the lower house. Hanson says many business owners have expressed concern about the bullying tactics used by unions. Hanson also supports allowing the Adler shotgun to be legally imported.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS