The AWU has abandoned a long history of going it alone in Queensland, re-affiliating with the State's peak union body, while the Mining and Energy Union has also returned to the fold after a shorter absence.
Legislation introduced today by Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke provides two "pathways" for the CFMEU's manufacturing division to demerge from the broader union.
The Albanese Government will introduce laws to allow the CFMEU's manufacturing division to demerge if members vote for it, with the ACTU claiming "Mr Setka's personal grudges" have led to an exit push that "cannot be resolved any other way".
The ACTU's senior leadership team has today been re-elected unopposed, while unions have agreed to a 3% annual increase in their affiliation fees over the next three years.
The Federal Court has thrown out a "time barred" former ROC case accusing a MEU mining and energy division president of misusing his union credit card to cover a series of private expenses in the 2016 financial year, while also finding no evidence of dishonesty.
The FWC's general manager is conducting a "major investigation" into a Health Services Union branch in Victoria, which is continuing after the former Registered Organisations Commission launched it about two years ago.
The first enforceable undertaking under the FWC's restored registered organisations powers provides for a union to further train its officers on the conduct of elections.
The Federal Court has fined the AWU almost $300,000 for 27,143 breaches of registered organisations laws, including failing to keep accurate membership records for nine years until 2017.
The Federal Court has refused to restrain the United Workers Union from dismissing two organisers who claim it subjected them to unlawful adverse action, finding the union's evidence "all-but-overwhelming".
