This Month
Minister accused of intervention in penalty rates case
New Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth’s letter to the Fair Work Commission has prompted it to consider delaying its ruling on retail workers’ penalty rates.
Make penalties on WFH part of productivity talks, business tells Labor
Employers will push for flexibility around work hours and penalty rates when employees work from home in talks with the workplace relations minister.
April
Menu shows Albanese’s Pancakes on the Rocks claim doesn’t stack up
The restaurant where the prime minister worked in his student days has imposed public holiday surcharge since at least 1979 – making his claims otherwise seem like waffle.
Why do cafes charge extra on holidays? Baristas get $70 an hour
Hospitality owners have slammed Anthony Albanese as out of touch for suggesting they can stay open on weekends and holidays without adding surcharges.
‘People don’t have to do that’: PM questions public holiday surcharges
Anthony Albanese questions cafes applying surcharges up to 15 per cent on Sundays and long weekends. The industry says it’s either that or don’t open.
‘Pro-aspiration’ PM shies away from new taxes on investors, super
Anthony Albanese has also ruled out restricting negative gearing to help fix the housing crisis because it would signal to voters that Labor is an anti-aspiration.
Burger chain burnt over pay rise amounting to 77¢ a week
The ruling is a key victory for unions and could lead to Grill’d being forced to pay more than 4000 workers full penalty rates for the first time in years.
August 2022
Pub chain accused of ‘hysterical’ bid to ditch Fair Work bench
A major hospitality operator has accused Fair Work Commission members of bias and refused to answer whether staff who voted for a controversial agreement were really in human resources.
June 2022
Victoria’s wage cap is ‘like spitting in your face’: union leader
There have been a series of public sector strikes over the public service wage cap in NSW, but fewer in Victoria, despite its cap being lower. The answer lies in politics.
May 2022
Fair Work approved ‘opt out’ for penalty rates
The hospitality union is considering its legal options over a controversial agreement that allows workers to waive away their penalty rates to work extra hours.
April 2022
Salaried hospitality workers to get weekend top-up payments
New rules to curb exploitation will entitle salaried workers in pubs, hotels, cafes and restaurants to penalty rates if they work long hours on weekends and public holidays.
January 2021
Retailers want to exempt staff on over $57,000 from penalty rates
Retailers want to exempt managers from penalty rates if they are paid 25 per cent more than the minimum salary, meaning workers on $57,000 a year could be excluded.
Employers push for loaded rates in face of strong union opposition
Restaurant and cafes have stayed clear of weekend penalty rates in response to the government’s push for a loaded rate awards, while clubs are pushing for all-in rates without any requirement to audit them.
December 2020
Porter wants penalty rate replaced with single-loaded payment
The Industrial Relations Minister has urged the Fair Work Commission to determine a single-loaded rate for four sectors hit hard by the coronavirus.
July 2020
Fair Work rejects delay to retail penalty rate cuts
Fair Work held the economic uncertainty around the coronavirus crisis weighed against delaying this week's cuts to Sunday rates until the minimum wage increases next year.
June 2020
Fair Work backs waiving penalty rates for working from home
In what unions fear will lead to permanent changes in the "new world of work", the workplace tribunal has backed employers' bid to continue waiving penalty rates for staff who work remotely during the recovery.
Union case to delay penalty rate cuts questioned
The retail union has accepted there is no "absolute link" between penalty rate cuts and minimum wage increases as it pursues a last-minute bid to delay the cuts set to take effect this weekend.
Retail union in battle to delay penalty rate cuts
Employers have warned that an unexpected increase in penalty rates during the first recession in 30 years and a potential second wave would jeopardise jobs.
July 2019
Union push to increase casual pay in hospitality sector
Employers says the union wants to "have its cake and eat it too" by claiming that casuals should be paid 25 per cent more than permanents during overtime.
June 2019
Scott Morrison gets a $10,000 pay rise on top of his $538,460
The independent Remuneration Tribunal said in giving federal MPs a 2 per cent pay rise, it had taken into account economic restraint and lower wage growth.