This Month
- Opinion
- Wage growth
Fair Work decision gives Labor another chance to run its wages fib
The former government never embarked on a deliberate strategy to suppress wages. But you wouldn’t know it.
- Phillip Coorey
- Updated
- Minimum wage
Weak productivity halts minimum wage rise
The Fair Work Commission has warned that stalled productivity and falling profits in the retail and hospitality industries remain barriers to reversing the fall in real wages since the pandemic.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
May
- Exclusive
- Industrial relations
Call to change bargaining laws as Sephora ‘sidesteps’ union
The retail union is pushing the government to change bargaining laws to stop employers from secretly sidelining unions to push through deals behind their back.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
April
Review targets workplace watchdog’s stomach for construction fights
Details about a KPMG review into the Fair Work Ombudsman comes as the CFMEU strikes on a key Qld government project, and warns of potential political fallout.
- David Marin-Guzman and Liam Walsh
- Exclusive
- CFMEU
Police called to ‘keep the peace’ in CFMEU showdown
A stand-off between a crowd of CFMEU representatives and security guards at a Queensland project allegedly involved unionists jumping fences to get on to site.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Labor green lights toxic bully-boys of the CFMEU
The political protection racket the modern ALP is running for the toxic behaviour of the CFMEU, which would be condemned in any other setting, is disgraceful.
- The AFR View
March
‘Shock the industry needs’: Splendour in the Grass cancelled
Spiralling costs and an over-saturation will lead to a “correction” after the music festival’s shock 2024 demise, according to one promoter.
- Michael Bailey
West Side Story makes a splash on Sydney Harbour
The new production proves Leonard Bernstein’s doubts over his legendary musical were misplaced.
- Michael Bailey
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Why good news for jobs is bad news for rates
The government is celebrating robust jobs figures and a fall in unemployment. But Labor and the Reserve Bank will be quietly worried that this is only going to delay any cut in interest rates this year.
- Jennifer Hewett
Employers want to remove ‘outdated’ penalties for WFH
Business says unsocial hours and fatigue issues are not as relevant when staff work at home.
- David Marin-Guzman
February
Right to disconnect? We’re already doing it, say bosses
Australian HR Institute CEO Sarah McCann-Bartlett says employers will be uncertain about the right to disconnect until test cases bed it down.
- Gus McCubbing
- Exclusive
- Roads
States to be forced to give up secret road crash data
Amid growing alarm over the rising road toll, pressure from Senator David Pocock is set to link $50 billion in federal road funding to state crash data transparency.
- Jacob Greber
‘Horse has bolted’: Burke consults over right-to-disconnect fix
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has initiated a last-minute consultation with business over a technical fix to the right to disconnect.
- David Marin-Guzman
Dutton pledges to cut off employees’ right to disconnect
The opposition will present voters with a “targeted package” repealing key parts of Labor’s pro-union industrial relations regime, shadow ministers say.
- Andrew Tillett
- Opinion
- The AFR View
A bad week for Australian productivity and prosperity
Michele Bullock may be a glass-half-full optimist, but Labor’s latest moves will make economic recovery that much harder.
- The AFR View
Businesses’ guide to the new IR laws
Human resources and workplace lawyers explain how to manage the swath of workplace changes about to hit business.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
It’s been a good week for the Labor base, and those who delivered
Jim Chalmers and Tony Burke have done their internal standing no harm this week by delivering for the true believers.
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Federal election
Why the PM looks confident for the first time in months
The Labor government is as buoyed by its tax and industrial relations policies as the business community is aghast at the impact. But who’s listening?
- Jennifer Hewett
- Updated
- Industrial relations
Crossbench and Greens seal deal on workplace changes
Labor has reached a deal with the Greens and crossbench, but business slammed the secret process and “attempt to legislate common sense”.
- David Marin-Guzman
Burke and crossbench near deal on right to disconnect, casuals
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has backed not fining bosses who contact staff after hours as part of critical IR talks with the crossbench.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman