Chemist Warehouse multi-deal challenge fails; CPSU members back 5%-a-year APS claim; New Senate inquiry into payday super regs; and Senate backs wage theft probe.
The TWU has lodged an "industry emergency application" in the FWC to fast-track relief for truck and passenger transport drivers dealing with Middle East war-related fuel price spikes, following the passage of laws allowing the tribunal to waive the wait time on contractual chain orders.
As the Middle East conflict lifts demand and prices for Australian's hydrocarbons, unions are planning to seek authorisation for protected action against Japanese oil and gas producer Inpex's Australian offshore and onshore facilities after the Easter long weekend, as they stare down an employer offer expected to go to ballot mid-month.
The Australia Institute is urging the FWC to increase award and minimum wages by 7.5% to 11.1%, to "undo the damage" to real wages inflicted since the COVID-19 pandemic, and to compensate for the forthcoming cost of living increases caused by the Middle East conflict.
The Albanese Government says Border Force has recovered more than $300,000 in underpayments and illegal deductions for migrant workers in a major crackdown, but unions involved in a federal pilot program pursuing more than $1.3 million in NSW alone fear it might be axed in the May Federal Budget.
A senior RBA employee appealing a failed backpay claim has also now had his bid for suppression of significant details of the FWC's decision rejected by a presidential member who observed that such applications should not be used to "qualify or recast" the tribunal's reasoning.
ACTU-backed protected action ballot agent Fair Vote has threatened to take resources employer peak body AREEA to court if it does not withdraw "baseless" accusations about data "security" and harvesting extra personal details of workers.
The ACTU is considering lodging an urgent case with the FWC seeking an increase to vehicle allowances in modern awards to address the Iran War-related spike in fuel costs.
An employer that refused to engage in the FWC's consideration of an unfair dismissal case has been ordered to pay $40,000 to a supervisor sacked for letting employees use a shackled emergency exit with an A4 printed "no entry, no exit" sign affixed to it.
To address the burden imposed by an increasing number of self-represented litigants and "the extremities of their behaviour", the Federal Court is considering undertaking more intensive case management and using AI to improve the quality of their submissions, according to its chief justice.
