COSBOA fears ’employee-like’ rules could come for all contractors, despite Burke’s assurances
Small business representatives have issued a broad-scale rejection of the federal government's latest industrial relations reform package, despite Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations assuring entrepreneurs proposed changes to "employee-like" work will not encroach on "genuine small business".
IR reforms: Businesses and government to thrash out casual work definitions and wage theft at top-level meeting
Potential changes to the definition of casual employment will be a top item on the agenda in Canberra today, as Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Tony Burke meets with industry representatives.
Small businesses under 20 staff shielded from enterprise bargaining reforms as IR bill nears passage
The federal government's industrial relations reform bill is set to pass into law after the Senate crossbench secured a raft of amendments.
IR reform: Burke open to changing small business coverage after Senate inquiry calls for 20 employee cut-off
Lawmakers should pass the federal government's highly contested industrial relations reform package if small businesses with fewer than 20 employees are excluded from the single-interest agreement overhaul, a Senate inquiry has found.
“Drag them against their will”: Chambers of commerce launch last-ditch ad campaign to postpone IR bill
Australian business lobbyists have launched a last-ditch attempt to convince lawmakers to split, postpone, or abandon Labor's contentious industrial relations bill.
John Durie: COSBOA elects new board members amid “critical time” for small business
COSBOA chair Matthew Addison won the support of members at Thursday’s annual meeting with supporters, including Digital Service Providers president Simon Foster, being elected to the board.
John Durie: ACCI boss brings in former Costello staffer as economics policy chief
David Alexander has served a number of roles since working for the former treasurer, most recently with government relations firm Barton Deakin.
COSBOA to consider ACTU’s sector-wide bargaining proposal as big business baulks
Australia's peak body for small business groups will not immediately discount an Australian Council of Trade Unions proposal to introduce sector-wide enterprise bargaining.
Worker shortages, inflation, and climate: Here are the key small business concerns as Labor takes power
Sensing the potential for a Labor shake-up in Canberra, small business organisations have expressed their key concerns.
Small business says Albanese government must prioritise fixing skills shortages and supply chain problems
Members of the small business community say they stand ready to work with the incoming Labor government to find solutions to Australia's skills crisis and ongoing supply chain disruptions.
Morrison flags return to 2021’s industrial relations reforms as Labor, unions say tweaks will cut wages
The Coalition says it is still committed to industrial relations reform, despite Labor and unions saying the changes would lower wages.
Albanese’s casual work claim turns insecure employment into a major election issue
Employee casualisation has become a hot-button topic in the 2022 election campaign, following claims by Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese of an increasingly casual workforce.
