WAGE PAYMENT SYSTEMS – AUSTRALIA

Frydenberg makes fresh pitch for IR reform

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 28-Sep-15

Australia’s Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg has weighed into the debate on industrial relations reform, arguing that weekend penalty rates cost jobs. He notes that the penalty rates system results in significantly increased costs in the resources sector. Frydenberg has also called for the reinstatement of the Australian Building & Construction Commission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Workplace reform ‘must be a priority’

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Original article by Andrew White, Kylar Loussikian
The Australian – Page: 4 : 25-Sep-15

Washington H Soul Pattinson’s executive chairman Robert Millner has urged the Australian Government to pursue workplace reforms. He has identified the penalty rates system and high labour costs in the manufacturing sector as key issues that need to be addressed. Millner has also criticised the number of rostered days off in sectors such as manufacturing, as well the high level of leave entitlements for construction workers.

CORPORATES
WASHINGTON H SOUL PATTINSON AND COMPANY LIMITED – ASX SOL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, BRICKWORKS LIMITED – ASX BKW, NEW HOPE CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX NHC, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Softly, softly IR push

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Aug-15

Tourism Accommodation Australia chairman Martin Ferguson has urged the Federal Government to look at implementing the Productivity Commission’s proposed changes to penalty rates. The draft report recommends reducing Sunday penalty rates for workers in sectors such as hospitality and retailing to the level that applies for people who work on Saturdays. It also recommends allowing small and medium enterprises to offer new employees a statutory enterprise contract that does not have to be approved by the Fair Work Commission.

CORPORATES
TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Softly, softly IR push

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Aug-15

Tourism Accommodation Australia chairman Martin Ferguson has urged the Federal Government to look at implementing the Productivity Commission’s proposed changes to penalty rates. The draft report recommends reducing Sunday penalty rates for workers in sectors such as hospitality and retailing to the level that applies for people who work on Saturdays. It also recommends allowing small and medium enterprises to offer new employees a statutory enterprise contract that does not have to be approved by the Fair Work Commission.

CORPORATES
TOURISM ACCOMMODATION AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Hospitality workers underpaid $1.2m

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 25-Jun-15

Data from the Fair Work Ombudsman shows that 2,752 restaurant and cafe employees were not paid their full wage entitlements in 2012-13. It is estimated that they were collectively underpaid some $A1.215m. Penalty rates for working on weekends accounted for 17 per cent of the underpayments. Restaurant & Catering Australia CEO John Hart says the report has coincided with the upcoming deadline for employers to make final submissions to the Fair Work Commission on penalty rates.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, RESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

Mixed bag for Easter retailers

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 7-Apr-15

Australian Retailers Association executive director Russell Zimmerman notes that some retailers in Sydney chose to trade on 6 April 2015, despite the public holiday. Restaurateur Mark Scanlan opened one of his three Sydney restaurants on Easter Monday. He has described penalty rates for working on public holidays as "prohibitive", and has called for workplace law reform

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, GARFISH, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, RESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Government urges FWC caution on minimum wage increase

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 31-Mar-15

Unions are seeking a $A27-per-week increase in Australia’s minimum wage. The Federal Government’s submission to the Fair Work Commission has broadly supported the view of employers that such an increase would result in job losses. The Government also notes that 61.5 per cent of people who take up a low-paying job tend to leave such positions within one year. Instead, it favours addressing income inequality via the tax-transfer system

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Future of work could be one award

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 9 : 20-Mar-15

The Business Council of Australia’s submission to an inquiry into workplace relations has proposed a gradual shift to a single industrial award for all sectors of the economy. As an interim measure, just one award would apply to each industry before being phased out in favour of a universal award. The employers’ association also proposes the adoption of one penalty rate for all employees, and paring back awards to cover just 10 employment issues

CORPORATES
BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Unions seek part-time guarantee

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Original article by Joanna Heath, Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 16-Feb-15

Employers’ groups want the Fair Work Commission’s review of the modern awards system to include changes to penalty rates for people who work on weekends and public holidays. Meanwhile, the ACTU’s submission to the review will argue the case for employers to have a legal requirement to offer flexible working arrangements to female workers who return to work after having a baby. Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry CEO Kate Carnell warns that this could deter employers from hiring women

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, RESTAURANT AND CATERING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN HOTELS ASSOCIATION

‘Keep penalties, but cut them’

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Original article by John Ferguson, Paige Taylor
The Australian – Page: 1 : 29-Jan-15

The Australian Retailers Association supports the retention of the penalty rates system for people who work on weekends and public holidays. However, executive director Russell Zimmerman argues that penalty rates for casual workers should be reduced in order to encourage employers to hire more staff and to trade on weekends and public holidays. He adds that consumers want to be able to shop at times that suit their needs

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, INDEPENDENT GROCERS OF AUSTRALIA, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW