Tugboat workers in Port Hedland, the outlet for much of Australia's iron ore exports, have endorsed legally protected industrial action in pursuit of improved pay and conditions in a new agreement.
Justice Ross finalises annual leave award review scope; Retailers appeal junior rates ruling; Court closes door on adverse action costs claim; and Mammone moves to AMMA.
The Federal Court has overturned a ruling by the Federal Circuit Court that paint manufacturer Wattyl did not breach its enterprise agreement when it directed employees to take annual leave during a production scale-down in 2012.
The AiG will argue for a raft of annual leave changes as part of the four-year review of modern awards, including greater powers for employers to compel workers to take annual leave during close-downs and when accrued leave reaches "excessive" levels.
A Fair Work Commission full bench has rejected – by a two to one majority – a raft of claims to vary annual leave provisions in modern awards as part of the two-year transitional review, finding that many of them would more appropriately be dealt with in the broader review next year.
