Restoring the ability for employers to engage and negotiate directly with their workforce has underpinned the key recommendations from national resource industry employer group AMMA, in its submission to the Australian Government’s Fair Work Act Review Panel. Representing all areas of the resource and related construction industry, AMMA’s submission examines how the Fair Work Act has failed on its key objectives and puts forth specific reforms that would see a return to mutually rewarding employment relationships in Australian workplaces. [ + ]

Despite a fall in the national unemployment rate, efforts must be made to minimise job losses and big corporations should not sacrifice workers in their hunger for profits, according to the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). [ + ]

On Monday morning in Brisbane, workers engaged in insecure jobs had the chance to tell the Howe Inquiry how the issue impacts on their lives, their families and their budgets. The hearing was the first of two dozen to be held across Australia. [ + ]

A magistrate has given a small building company six years to pay a fine imposed on it after a worker became a paraplegic as a result of a four-metre fall. [ + ]

Honeywell has appointed Jack Boss as President of Honeywell Safety Products, a part of Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions’ Life Safety business. [ + ]

machineSAFE is a comprehensive machinery safety course running during 2012 in Australia and New Zealand. It offers a range of workshops which provide details on how to comprehend and apply the machine safety standard AS4024.1-2006 as well as the Acts and Regulations businesses must follow to ensure compliance. [ + ]

Around 150,000 of Australia’s lowest paid workers will benefit from substantial pay rises of between 23 and 45% as a result of Fair Work Australia’s historic pay equity decision. [ + ]

Wage Connect helps employers to offset their initial training and labour costs and remove barriers that may have stopped them taking on staff in the past. Wage subsidies of around $6000 are paid to employers who take on and retain people as part of the Building Australia’s Future Workforce initiative. [ + ]

A private college has been convicted and fined in the Industrial Court after three people were injured by a falling tree while attending a junior school sports day in 2009. [ + ]

A study, conducted by Southern Cross University senior lecturer Dr Gary Mellor from the School of Health and Human Services in conjunction with Dr Winsome St John, of Griffith University, has found that working fathers with new babies experience cumulative fatigue, which may pose a risk in the workplace. [ + ]

A South Eastern timber processing company has been fined more than $26,000 by the Industrial Court after an employee was injured by unguarded machinery. [ + ]

A Geelong business has been convicted and fined $6000 over an incident that left a chef with a broken arm after her sleeve became caught in an unguarded machine. [ + ]

Australian Industry Group CEO Heather Ridout has welcomed the announcement of a Productivity Commission Inquiry into superannuation default funds in modern awards. [ + ]

Oil and gas operators need to place an even greater emphasis on safety in the design of oil and gas facilities to safeguard against explosion accidents, according to Dr Madhat Abdel-jawad, President of GexCon Australia. [ + ]

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Financial Services and Superannuation, Bill Shorten, MP, has revealed that harmonised OHS laws will not cover social or domestic arrangements. [ + ]