WAGE PAYMENT SYSTEMS – AUSTRALIA

Unions to push for penalty rates law

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 26-Apr-16

Unions have criticised Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten for indicating that he will support the Fair Commission’s decision if it rules in favour of reducing Sunday penalty rates. They argue that his comments undermines the union movement’s "Save Our Weekend" campaign, and the Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari says unions will seek to have minimum penalty rates included in the National Employment Standards if the Opposition wins the 2016 federal election.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, VICTORIAN TRADES HALL COUNCIL, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION

Penalty rates a poll bombshell

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Original article by Elizabeth Colman, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 21-Apr-16

The Fair Work Commission may issue its ruling on weekend penalty rates in the retail and hospitality industries before the 2016 federal election. Employers are seeking a reduction in the penalty rates that apply for working on Sundays and public holidays. Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox says penalty rates will be the key industrial relations issue during the election campaign. He argues that the current regime deters employers from hiring and training staff.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, UNITED VOICE, TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Labor leaves low wage to tribunal

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Original article by Elizabeth Colman, Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 4 : 1-Apr-16

The Australian Labor Party will not make a submission on the Fair Work Commission’s review of the minimum wage. Workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor says Labor has confidence in the wage review process and believes that it will consider factors such as the rising cost of living. The ACTU is seeking a $A30 per week increase in the minimum wage. Employer groups have proposed a much lower increase, citing factors such as the uncertain economic outlook and Australia’s high minimum wage compared with some countries.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, UNITED VOICE, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Penalty rates ‘help lowest paid’

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Original article by Benjamin Preiss
The Age – Page: 3 : 14-Mar-16

The Victorian Government’s submission to a Fair Work Commission review of penalty rates in the hospitality and retail industries argues that many people on low incomes rely on penalty rates for basic household expenses. It also argues that penalty rates often cost companies less than expenses such as taxes and local council rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP

Fair Work to examine penalty rates

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 16-Feb-16

Employers’ groups must make their final submissions to the Fair Work Commission’s review of penalty rates by 1 April 2016. The full bench has ruled that employers’ submissions can include the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on reducing Sunday penalty rates in industries such as retail and hospitality to bring them in line with those that apply on Saturdays. Unions’ submissions to the FWC review must be lodged by 21 March.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD

Restaurant closes to avoid holiday costs

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Original article by Meredith Booth, Michael Owen
The Australian – Page: 5 : 27-Jan-16

Kitchen staff at Adelaide restaurant Parlamento are paid $A20 an hour on normal weekdays. However, the restaurant elected not to open on the 2016 Australia Day public holiday as penalty rates would have increased wages to $A48 an hour. Co-owner Daniel Rattenni says any profits made on the day would have been so small as to not be worth it. Rob Lucas, the South Australian Opposition’s industrial relations spokesman, notes that penalty rates are deterring businesses from hiring staff.

CORPORATES
PARLAMENTO, LIBERAL PARTY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, RESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Heavy holiday hit for retailers as workers ring up penalty bonanza

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Original article by Joe Kelly, Gina Rushton, Elizabeth Colman
The Australian – Page: 4 : 23-Dec-15

Australian retailers that choose to trade between Christmas and New Year face a huge staff penalty rates bill. Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman notes that just three days between 25 December and 3 January will attract standard hourly wage rates. He has welcomed the Productivity Commission’s recommendation to reduce Sunday penalty rates to the level that applies on Saturdays.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BING LEE ELECTRICS PTY LTD

Business push to cut Sunday penalty rates

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 23-Dec-15

Business leaders want Fair Work Commission (FWC) president Iain Ross to consider the Productivity Commission’s recommendations on penalty rates in his review of the system. However, labour unions will fight the proposal to bring Sunday penalty rates in some industries in line with those for working on Saturday. The Federal Government’s 2016 election platform will include some of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations, although it is not expected to endorse a proposal to split the functions of the FWC.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, UNITED VOICE, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Business blasts IR blueprint

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 22-Dec-15

Business leaders have criticised the Productivity Commission for failing to deal with the complexity of Australia’s workplace relations system. Scott Barklamb, executive director of the Australian Mines & Metals Association, said the commission was too cautious in its recommendations. Kate Carnell, the CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, described the report as "an opportunity lost". The commission has proposed reducing Sunday penalty rates in certain industries to the level of Saturday rates. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the issue will be determined by a Fair Work Commission review.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP

Cash steps in to quell union penalty rate campaign

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 21-Dec-15

The Productivity Commission is scheduled to release its final report on the industrial relations system on 21 December 2015. Its recommendations are tipped to include reducing Sunday penalty rates for some industries to the same level that apply for working on Saturday. However, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash has stressed that the Fair Work Commission will be solely responsible for determining penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, UNITED VOICE, ACTU