Employer and employer association matters in Australia in 2016

Abstract

Employers and their associations were hopeful that the double dissolution election in 2016 would end continuing policy deadlock, which had hitherto stalled progress on their desired industrial relations reforms. But the coalition’s less than convincing victory at the polls dashed any hope that such progress would be swift and comprehensive. Towards the end of the year, the government was finally able to secure the passage of the contentious Australian Building and Construction Commission and Registered Organisations bills that triggered the election. But action on other fronts, like implementing the recommendations of the Productivity Commission’s 2015 Inquiry, had been slow. The Fair Work Commission’s much anticipated deliberation on Sunday penalty rates is also delayed, creating more uncertainties for award-reliant employers at the end of 2016. To aggravate matters further, unions are continuously trying to chip away various key features of casual working arrangements, through Fair Work Commission test cases and by pushing strongly in favour of the inclusion of casual deeming provisions in modern awards.