Compulsory post-PABO conferences further complicate an already onerous process, with little or no benefit, the ACTU, ANMF and CFMEU have told the review of the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act, while the Ai Group says the conferences are "often worthwhile" and can avert industrial action.
The FWC has thrown out an agreement approval application because a "show of hands" vote counted by a manager failed to ensure confidentiality, but has confirmed such ballots are permissible.
The SDA is calling on the FWC to use its powers to unilaterally amend a proposed Sephora agreement if it refuses to provide undertakings tackling an allegedly "diabolical" overtime pay freeze it contends the beauty retailer did not explain to workers.
Woolworths has today made an urgent application seeking that the FWC make orders to halt striking UWU members from "blocking access" to a Melbourne warehouse and three others in Victoria and NSW that has cost the business a claimed $50 million in sales.
A FWC presidential member has underlined that workers are not immune from retrenchment while on leave or working under flexible arrangements, confirming that operational issues warranting severance can arise at any time.
The ACTU has told a review of the SJBP Act that employers should be compelled to accommodate flexible work requests - such as working from home - unless it causes "unjustifiable hardship", while unions should not have to demonstrate majority employee support for contested single-interest bargaining authorisations.
A recruitment company leader seeking to challenge the restraints in his employment contract and a shareholder agreement has been allowed to continue the case in NSW, after related entities in Great Britain failed to convince the Federal Court to stay the matter because of an exclusive jurisdiction clause.
The Albanese Government should amend Secure Jobs laws to permit multi-employer bargaining only when employers agree and must wind back intractable bargaining declaration provisions that leave unions with "nothing to lose", resource employer organisation AREEA has told an independent review of the legislation.
The FWC has found it "disproportionate" to summarily sack a HR general manager accused of creating an "unsafe" environment for her team and calling for their heads when they gave negative feedback, while also rejecting the employer's inference that she opportunistically used her distress over the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine war to explain her conduct.
In its first sitting week, Queensland's Crisafulli Government has "rammed through" legislation to reduce health and safety permit holders' entry rights, to address what it says is the CFMEU's "weaponisation of workplace health and safety", and introduced legislation to re-establish the State productivity commission.
