Workplace: Recent Developments & Discussion

[elysepopplewell]

Here's the spot to share all things Workplace law options!

[elysepopplewell]

This is a new development in relation to Unions and firefighters: http://www.smh.com.au/victoria/volunteer-firefighters-set-to-withdraw-from-supreme-court-battle-over-union-pay-deal-20161024-gs9t9p.html

[elysepopplewell]

Woops! This thread news some work!

This is EXTREMELY interesting! 'Slave labour' and sexual exploitation: calls for investigation into backpacker abuse

"The former head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has urged the agency to investigate legal action after a string of exploitation cases involving working holidaymakers were unearthed by British campaigner Rosie Ayliffe.

Alan Fels, now chair of the federal government’s Migrant Workers’ Taskforce, said Ayliffe had gathered valuable evidence of widespread abuses under Australia’s farm work visa scheme since her daughter Mia was stabbed to death in a Queensland hostel last year."

An excellent case study - also overlaps with human rights if you're pursuing modern day slavery as a contemporary human rights issues!

[elysepopplewell]

An article from the Guardian titled Unions to fight casualisation of Australia's workforce

In an interview with the Australian, the Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary, Sally McManus, said workforce casualisation would be a key priority for the union movement next year.

“One of the key things we want to change for working ­people is turning around or reversing the casualisation of jobs,” she said.

McManus said she would lobby Labor to support a new definition of casual work, which would include workers who have a “reasonable expectation of ongoing work” and who are completing regular shifts.

Unions also want legislative changes to give casual workers the ability to automatically convert to permanent employment after six months with the same employer.

Brendan O’Connor, the shadow workplace relations minister, said Labor was committed to examining the casualisation of the Australian workforce and the ACTU’s proposals.

He said “something has to be done”, and indicated the need for an objective test to ensure casual employment was being used for proper purposes.

“Too often now we see people working as their main job in what employers are deeming to be casual, even when they work for years on end,” he said. “For that reason, Labor is committed to examining this.”

Industry groups have immediately dismissed the proposals, saying they are not new and had already been considered and rejected by the Fair Work Commission.



This one will definitely be worth following throughout the year!

[inescelic]

In relation to workplace safety, a really interesting issue to explore is MENTAL HEALTH SAFETY CLAIMS AND COMPENSATION. So many effectiveness criteria to explore, including resource efficiency and accessibility.
Read article here: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/crippling-workload/6130900
^Although this article isn't that new, this is still a ver contemporary issue

[elysepopplewell]

In relation to workplace safety, a really interesting issue to explore is MENTAL HEALTH SAFETY CLAIMS AND COMPENSATION. So many effectiveness criteria to explore, including resource efficiency and accessibility.
Read article here: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/crippling-workload/6130900
^Although this article isn't that new, this is still a ver contemporary issue

Thanks for sharing inescelic! People often struggle to find workplace articles so this is fantastic.