WA councils support marriage equality
The Western Australian city councils of Bayswater and Fremantle passed motions of support for marriage equality on April 26. Both motions instruct the councils to write to the Prime Minister and all federal MPs, calling on them to make marriage equality a reality.
The motion passed in Bayswater "calls on the council to acknowledge … that many residents are disadvantaged by the current laws and that marriage equality laws have been passed in 22 countries around the world".
Four WA councils have now passed such motions — including the City of Vincent and Port Hedland — with a total of 46 nationally, including Darwin City Council and Brisbane City Council.
RAFFWU terminates dodgy 2005 IGA agreement
On March 14 the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) lodged an application with the Fair Work Commission to terminate an outdated 2005 non-union wage agreement.
The Delahey Superfresh Pty Ltd Certified Agreement has been used in two Victorian IGA stores, in Glengala and Delahey, to underpay about 100 people up to $8000 a year below their minimum award entitlements.
Under the agreement workers were not paid penalty rates for weekend and night work in exchange for a base salary that was 10% above the minimum wage in 2005. That rate is now $4 below the award rate.
The FWC agreed on May 8 to terminate the agreement and when it comes into effect on July 1 the minimum award will deliver an average 23% wage increase to RAFFWU members.
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