In an important ruling on the definition of industrial action, the Federal Court has held that the provision of sensitive information to the media by employees is not "protected" under the Fair Work Act and might leave them vulnerable to breach of contract and coercion claims.
Another High Court case on the Fair Work Act's protections for employees engaged in union activity might not be far away, according to a leading IR academic, after the CFMEU's appeal against the Federal Court's BHP Coal "scab-sign" ruling was this morning rejected by a 3-2 majority.
A High Court majority has dismissed the CFMEU's appeal against the Federal Court's decision that BHP Coal did not take adverse action when it dismissed a union delegate when he waved an "anti-scab" sign on a union picket.
Two council workers who were sacked after visiting the same TAB during working hours have met markedly different fates, with one winning his job back and the other losing his unfair dismissal case.
Target has enough HR staff to not need legal representation; Data upload difficulties lead to time extension; Mental health provider given go-ahead to employ ATSI people only; Biggest ever electronic ballot gets go-ahead for DHS; and Former retail group head facing fraud charges.
Kathy Jackson's lawyer has succeeded in staving off the HSU's bid for a $700,000 summary judgment against her for now, with the Federal Court ordering him to provide more medical evidence of her condition.
A hotel management company that took unlawful adverse action when it stopped giving shifts to a casual bartender who complained of being underpaid has been ordered to pay $11,000 compensation, including a sum for distress, hurt, and humiliation.
The MUA has given notice of five consecutive 24-hour stoppages at the Dampier supply base operated by Mermaid Marine Australia, starting from Wednesday.
The Fair Work Commission has rejected a second attempt by electricity distributor Essential Energy to move some managers and senior technical employees from an enterprise agreement to individual contracts, ruling that the "common understanding" of the agreement's coverage clause overrides its literal meaning.
The High Court will decide next Thursday whether BHP Coal took adverse action against a mineworker when it sacked him for holding up an anti-"scab" sign at a picket in Queensland's Bowen Basin in 2012.
