Union industrial officers are increasingly being supplanted by external IR lawyers, with the phenomenon most pronounced in "organising" unions, according to the principal of a boutique union-clientele law firm.
CFMEU construction division leader Zach Smith has hit back at "bullshit" claims that a planned restructure to centralise campaigning, communications and training functions will undemocratically hand control to the national office and reduce members' influence.
NSW nurses and midwives have voted up a three-year Ramsay Health agreement featuring a 16% pay rise and improved conditions, after the NSWNMA's longest-running campaign of industrial action.
The FAAA and the TWU have confirmed they will push for a Virgin Australia employee share program if the airline goes ahead with plans to re-list on the ASX in June.
Ahead of the May 3 election, the ETU has today launched anti-nuclear-power television, radio and social media commercials that target 12 largely marginal seats, including that of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
In a breakthrough for NSW fisheries officers seeking to carry capsicum spray while patrolling for poachers, the State IRC has refused to terminate work bans after the Department of Primary Industries failed to convince it they seriously risk depleting fish stocks.
In what unions are calling a win for all Tasmanian workers, listed Canadian-owned food giant Saputo has after 20 weeks of industrial action agreed to a 21.7% pay rise for maintenance employees at its Burnie cheese plant.
A Melbourne rally in support of the CFMEU's construction division heard today that "three or four" legal challenges at federal and state level are expected against laws putting its branches into administration, as a part of a multi-year campaign.
Ahead of the October 26 State election, Queensland unions are set to launch a campaign today to lift the current public sector parental leave entitlement of 15 weeks to 18 weeks, plus an extra eight weeks for workers with five years service.
