Archived News for Human Resource Professionals - June, 2012
Firefighters have staged a walk off in New South Wales for the first time since 1956 in response to the State Government’s move to reform the state’s workers compensation agreements.
“The Bill, which was only released Tuesday afternoon, goes well beyond the sham Inquiry recommendations released last week. It is far, far worse than anyone expected and will severely impact upon FRNSW firefighters,” the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union said in a statement.
The stand down comes after firefighters met in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to vote, resulting in the shut down of an estimated 240 fire stations around the state.
Tech companies dominate top Australian employers list
BRW Magazine and the Australian arm of the Great Place to Work Institute have published the list of Australia’s top 50 employers of 2012, with Melbourne based IT services group OBS taking the top gong. The award recognises companies for their outstanding culture, workplace ethos and treatment of their employees.
Industry calls for focus on productivity
The Australian Industry Group (AI Group) has called for the Federal Government to focus on increasing national productivity in the wake of the Prime Minister’s Economic Forum in Brisbane last week.
Queensland bill to reform IR requirements for water companies
The Queensland Government has introduced the South East Queensland Water (Distribution Retail and Restructuring) Amendment Bill, which will enable Council-owned water businesses to manage their workforces in the same way as any other organisation.
New Zealand to conduct giant employment survey
“The pressure on leaders to assimilate and prioritise all the data available to them is increasing. From customer satisfaction and employee engagement, to financial reporting and market intelligence, it’s important to be able to see the wood from the trees when it comes to the massive area of employment,” Michelle Marsden of Clarian HR said.
Newman issues ominous warning
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has issued an ominous warning to the state’s public sector, saying the State Government employs roughly 20,000 more public servants than the state can afford to employ.
Queensland announces skills taskforce
The Queensland Government has announced the formation of the State’s new Skills and Training Taskforce, which will be responsible for developing a roadmap for the state’s vocational education and training sector.
Court gives go ahead for drug testing
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has lost its bid to prevent an employer from conducting mandatory drug and alcohol tests of its employees, with the presiding judges finding that it will help the company meet its workplace health and safety obligations.
NSW compensation scheme to be reviewed
The Joint Select Committee on the NSW Workers Compensation has announced a suite of key recommendations to reform the scheme in a bid to address its increasingly dire financial situation.
$350 million for child care
The Federal Government has announced it will provide $350 million to 39 child care training organisations across the country in a bid to improve access and reduce costs of quality child care.
Employer confidence continues to drop
The nation’s employers are increasingly hesitant about hiring new staff according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released by the ManpowerGroup. The results of the survey show a continuing downward trend in employer optimism that began this time last year.
Grattan Institute identifies reform 'game changers'
The Grattan Institute has published a report into what it considers key reform areas for stimulating economic growth. The Game-changers: reform priorities for economic growth in Australia report found that governments must reform the tax mix and move to increase participation rates of women and the older generation.
Randstad identifies world's best employers
Global recruitment specialist Randstad has identified 14 of the world’s most attractive employers in this year’s edition of the Randstad Award, the largest independent employer branding study in the world.
AHRC releases 'Working Past Our 60s' paper
The Australian Human Rights Commission has released the Working Past Our 60’s: Reforming Laws and Policies for the Older Worker paper, detailing how age barriers in workers compensation, income insurance and licencing block willing and able older workers continuing to work their 60’s and beyond.
Mercer provides Asia Pacific diversity snapshot
Consulting giant Mercer has published the results of a diversity study it conducted throughout the asia Pacific region, finding that concentrated diversity and inclusion strategies are becoming increasingly important in attracting and retaining a strong workforce.
WorkSafe to target musculoskeletal injuries
Victorian Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich-Phillips has launched a new WorkSafe Victoria blitz targeting musculoskeletal injuries in a bid to tackle the state’s most common workplace injury.
Low productivity threatens major projects
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) has warned that waning productivity and inflating costs are risking Australia’s unprecedented $921 billion pipeline of major investment in resources, energy and economic infrastructure. New research released by the council shows for the first time just how much capital investment is driving the economy.
Unemployment rises 0.2 per cent
Australia's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 5.1 per cent in May, as announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). There was also an increase in the labour force participation rate of 0.3 percentage points in May to 65.5 per cent.
Australia not an 'anti-dobbing' culture
Results show that assumptions that Australia is an ‘anti-dobbing’ society are false, according to results of the first World Online Whistleblowing Survey.
Services sector continues to contract
The services sector continued to contract in May, albeit at a slower pace, according to the latest Australian Industry Group/Commonwealth Bank Australian Performance of Services Index (Australian PSI) which lifted 3.9 points to 43.5 in the month (readings below 50 represent a contraction in activity with the distance from 50 indicative of the strength of the decrease).
Australians back skilled immigration, but not foreign investment
A poll conducted by the Lowy Institute has found that the majority of Australians, 62 per cent, support the move to grant 1,715 skilled migrant visas to the Roy Hill iron ore project. However, the vast majority, 81 per cent, is against direct foreign investment.