INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Hues of Brazil dictatorship in anti-union bill

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 18-Jul-19

The Ensuring Integrity Bill’s compliance with international conventions to which Australia is a signatory has been called into question. The International Centre for Trade Union Rights claims that the bill breaches international conventions regarding freedom of association and collective bargaining. Amongst other things, the bill is aimed at making it easier to deregister unions and to ban union officials. The federal government hopes the bill will be passed by the lower house within weeks.

CORPORATES
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR TRADE UNION RIGHTS, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. REGISTERED ORGANISATIONS COMMISSION

Revamped bill to test ALP on forcing out rogue union bosses

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 17-Jul-19

The House of Representatives is slated to vote on the federal government’s amended Ensuring Integrity Bill within weeks. There have been significant changes to the bill in response to Labor’s concerns about the proposed legislation, but shadow industrial relations minister Tony Burke has warned that the amendments are insufficient and are also likely to be opposed by Labor. The bill is aimed at making it easier to deregister unions and ban union officials.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

IR reform urgent for economy

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 8-Jul-19

Business leaders have identified changes to the industrial relations system as a priority for the federal government following the passage of its income tax cuts package. Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox and Australian Resources & Energy Group CEO Steve Knott say the reform agenda should include changes to the ‘better off overall test’ for enterprise agreements, passing the Ensuring Integrity Bill and Proper Use of Worker Benefits Bill, and a review of unfair dismissal and adverse action laws. They argue that major changes to the Fair Work Act are not necessary.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN RESOURCES AND ENERGY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Business urges new work rules

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 25-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison discussed the federal government’s industrial relations policy in a speech to the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Western Australia on 24 June. Business leaders have outlined the workplace reforms they would like to see during the Coalition’s third term in office. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott says an overhaul of the enterprise bargaining system should be a priority, as well as changes to the ‘better off overall test’. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO James Pearson in turn has called for changes to small business dismissal laws.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED. CENTRE FOR FUTURE WORK

PM targets red tape, IR reform

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 24-Jun-19

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will use a speech on 24 June to signal that the federal government may be open to industrial relations reform. He will stress that any such reforms must be evidence-based and protect the rights and entitlements of workers, and he will urge the business sector to build a case for workplace reforms. Morrison will also commit to a review of regulatory and bureaucratic processes that deter companies from investing in their business, while he will identify changes to the vocational training sector as a priority for the Council of Australian Governments.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA (INCORPORATED)

Porter has mandate to restructure workplace tribunal: employers

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 28-May-19

Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott says the Fair Work Commission needs to approve enterprise agreements more quickly, arguing that the often lengthy delays at present are unacceptable. He says one option may be to give the Fair Work Ombudsman responsibility for approving workplace deals. Knott has urged new Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter to undertake a review of the FWC’s performance and processes.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), RMIT UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Shorten reaches out to miners

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 16-May-19

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has indicated that Labor may be open to industrial relations reforms that would allow greenfields enterprise agreements to be struck for the life of a resources project rather than having to be renegotiated every 3-4 years. He argues that this would provide greater certainty for workers, unions, employers and global investors. Shorten also intends to hold a national economic summit in early June if Labor wins the federal election; the agenda will include industrial relations, wages, productivity and the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL

Unions to face wait for pay reforms

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 3-May-19

Shadow workplace relations minister Brendan O’Connor has indicated that Labor will consult all stakeholders regarding its plan to reinstate industry-wide enterprise bargaining. Senior Labor sources have suggested that the extensive consultation that will be required means the reforms are likely to be delayed for at least a year if Labor wins the federal election. Law professor Andrew Stewart says Labor is wise to delay such reforms given the large number of items on its policy agenda. Labor intends to prioritise reforms such as restoring penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Fightback on penalty rates

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Original article by Ben Packham, Dennis Shanahan, Alice Workman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 22-Apr-19

Labor plans to reconvene federal parliament before 30 June if it wins the election, in order to capitalise on a Senate that may be more amenable to its proposed industrial relations reforms. Amongst other things, Labor intends to reverse cuts to penalty rates within its first 100 days in office. However, Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox has written to Senate crossbenchers warning that Labor’s workplace reforms would require more extensive consultation than would be possible by the end of June.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, CENTRE ALLIANCE

Boral risks millions after code warning

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 21-Dec-18

Boral subsidiary De Martin & Gasparini has been given an official warning from the federal government for breaching its building code. Boral will be banned from tendering for construction projects that receive federal funding if it breaches the code again. Boral is the first company to receive an official warning for a breach of the code, which was introduced alongside the reinstatement of the Australian Building & Construction Commission in 2016.

CORPORATES
BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, DE MARTIN AND GASPARINI PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA