The announcement by the Fair Work Commission yesterday to increase the minimum wage was uncontroversial. The new rate of $17.29, will represent a $16 increase per week for full time employees. But what’s interesting about this is the way that it’s been described. This article suggesting that “Australia’s lowest paid workers” will have an…
Author: Staff Writer
Elite performance and bullying at work – are some people flying over the radar…?
Perhaps the most alarming finding of recent Royal Commission into Institutional response to child abuse has been the fact that some of the ‘elite’ institutions, regarded by many as a society’s leading organisations, have turned the blindest of eyes to the activities of their employees. This is proof that whatever our contemporary conceptions of equality may…
Happy Easter – as the penalty rates debate boils over
The penalty rate argument has been steadily brewing since the Coalition took office 18 months ago, spurred on by the recent decision of Restaurant and Catering Association of Victoria [2014] FWCFB 1996 which I discussed in this post. It’s not surprising that the penalty rates argument would come up over the Easter Weekend where NSW…
Popularity and unfair termination of employment – are workplace rights really a democracy?
While I understand the iconic popularity of Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson, I was genuinely surprised to learn over the weekend that an online petition demanding his reinstatement had passed the 1,000,000 signature mark. This comes after an interesting month, in which Clarkson was suspended from his job with the BBC for a ‘fracas’ with…
Todd Carney and procedural fairness – a picture does not always say 1000 words….
I am completely unsurprised at news over the weekend that Todd Carney has been found to have been wrongly dismissed by Cronulla Sharks. At the time of his dismissal, I couldn’t help but notice the incredibly short time between his ‘bubbler’ incident going viral online, and the announcement of the termination of his contract. Anyone with knowledge…
Sexual Harassment – are we shooting the messenger?
Dr Gabrielle McMullin has faced fierce criticism for recent comments that females seeking a careers as surgeons should not speak out against sexual harassment. Her message was that while vicitms of this type of harassment may have a valid legal claim, making a complaint is likely to destroy their careers. Some commentators described her…