The ACTU says a High Court decision that makes it harder for unions to take protected industrial action has made Australia's workplace laws "much more oppressive" at a time when strikes are already at record lows.
A home-based sales representative has been compensated after the FWC found that he was sacked within a day of receiving a "manifestly unreasonable" ultimatum to pack up his life in Byron Bay and return to work in his employer's Sydney office.
The High Court has directed an FWC full bench to re-determine whether a controversial Aldi agreement for a new distribution centre passes the better off overall test, but it has agreed with the retailer that deals covering new enterprises can extend to employees yet to work there.
The High Court has today upheld an appeal by Esso Australia against a finding that industrial action taken by the AWU in 2015 was protected, in a decision that leaves the way open for a substantial damages claim against the union.
The AMWU has welcomed an FWC recommendation to end the long-running maintenance dispute at Griffin Coal and put a proposed agreement to the workforce, calling the package a "common sense middle ground" and a "sensible solution".
CFMEU construction and general division Victorian branch secretary John Setka has foreshadowed an appeal to the High Court if the State's Court of Appeal does not throw out blackmail charges against him and his lieutenant next year.
A CFMEU shop steward took adverse action against a painter when he first grudgingly permitted and then subsequently refused him access to a site because he was behind in his union dues, a court has found.
The FWC has upheld the sacking of a group training company's trainer for falsifying his timesheets, but has upbraided the employer for failing to give the worker enough time to study the complex allegations against him.
