The Fair Work Commission has suspended protected industrial action by CPSU members at international airports for 90 days, after finding that plans to escalate strikes posed a "serious and compelling" risk.
The Opposition has hinted that a Shorten Labor Government would axe the Coalition Government's public sector bargaining policy and the 2% wage cap, while 30,000 Victorian public sector employees are set to receive a backdated pay rise after voting up a new agreement.
Stevedore Patrick says it will put its "final offer" direct to workers at its four container terminals, while warning that an employee lockout is possible if the bargaining deadlock continues.
In what is believed to be a first, the AMWU has secured the interim reinstatement of a shop steward because his sacking arguably breached good faith bargaining obligations.
The MUA says Patrick's Brisbane container terminal workforce will strike next week over different rostering issues to those at the stevedore's Port Botany terminal, but the company says the matters are not part of Brisbane's local negotiations.
The latest round of industrial action by CPSU members working in immigration and customs at airports and seaports has pushed security risks from tolerable to unacceptable, the Fair Work Commission has heard.
The Turnbull Government has pressed ahead with its application for a three-month ban on industrial action by border protection and immigration workers, which is being strongly opposed by the CPSU.
The FWC in reasons for issuing a temporary "national security" anti-strike order on the weekend, has rejected the CPSU's argument that the tribunal has no power to make interim orders and should have expedited a full hearing of the matter.
The FWC has acceded to an urgent CPSU request to delay until Thursday a hearing into whether to extend an interim ban on industrial action at international airports.
