Fair Work Australia is the national workplace relations tribunal. It is an independent body with power to carry out a range of functions relating to: the safety net of minimum wages and employment conditions; enterprise bargaining; industrial action; dispute resolution; termination of employment; and other workplace matters. Fair Work Australia commenced operations on 1 July 2009. The tribunal assumed many of the functions of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. The AIRC will continue until 31 December 2009 to complete outstanding matters - in particular award modernisation.