Ben Schneiders May 19, 2016 The Age Bill Shorten and the ACTU have made “protecting” penalty rates a key election issue. This, while Australia’s biggest private sector union is cutting deals that leave workers without penalties. The McDonald’s agreement with the Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees Association is an example. Under the deal, McDonald’s pays no penalty rates on weekends, not a cracker. But the fast food award – the legal pay and conditions safety net – sets penalty rates at 25 per cent on Saturday and 50 per cent on Sunday (higher still for casuals). The Macca’s deal underlines the grotesque unreality of the penalties debate. Australia’s award system looks great on paper, a safety net of generally decent wages and conditions that compares well to the pittance earned by the low paid in the US and elsewhere. Yet at the cowboy end of the labour market, foreign workers…

Paul Clarke May 19, 2016 CSNews Convenience store customers have historically reported that location, price, store appearance, beverage options and the appearance and “freshness” of food offerings is top of mind when choosing a store. However, one of the most critical factors of c-store selection that is rarely quantified — and a serious drawback in the segment — is the attentiveness and friendliness of shopper-facing staff. A news article last year told of a Starbucks employee working in the Chase building in Manhattan who was asked by a customer to join the bank as a customer service representative because she “endeared” herself to many of the regulars. Bank executives were so impressed she always knew their name and beverage when they entered the store that they hired her. While this is not a common occurrence, this feel-good story supports the well-known adage, “Treat your customers the way you want to…

Frank Chung MAY 19, 2016 News.com.au A BUSINESS owner who paid young backpackers as little as $1.35 an hour after “luring them to a remote area of Tasmania” with bogus claims in job ads has been whacked with a massive fine. Harold William Jackson, who formerly owned and operated Harold’s Glass and Hardware and the adjacent Rhythm & Vines cafe in Queenstown, has been penalised $71,910 in the Federal Circuit Court in a case bought by the Fair Work Ombudsman. The court found that between July 2013 and February 2014, Mr Jackson exploited five backpackers aged in their 20s who travelled to Australia on 417 working holiday visas. Judge Terry McGuire described Mr Jackson’s treatment of the backpackers, who were underpaid a total of $42,985, as “calculated” and “callous”. The backpackers were lured with ads on Gumtree and in hostels promising “88 day second year work visa sign off is…

MAY 21, 2016 AAP Under 18s will be banned from buying e-cigarettes as part of new Victorian legislation that will treat the electronic smoking devices the same as tobacco products. All existing bans on the sale, use and promotion of tobacco products will also apply to e-cigarettes in Victoria, under changes to be introduced into parliament next week. Smoking e-cigarettes in schools or cars carrying children will be outlawed. Health Minister Jill Hennessy said the new legislation will help de-normalise the harmful habit and protect children. The laws will apply to all e-cigarettes regardless of whether they contain nicotine because laboratory testing is often needed to determine if nicotine is present. The legislative changes will also include a ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas, which will come into effect on August 1 next year. Any food fair or organised outdoor events where there are food stalls will come under…