The first round of protected industrial action by train drivers at BHP's Pilbara iron ore operations will kick off tomorrow with limited bans after talks yesterday failed to deliver a breakthrough.
Protected industrial action by Royal Flying Doctor Service nurses has been put on hold after the ballot agent named the wrong union on the voting report.
A FWC presidential member has taken a harder line on extending notice periods for protected action, rejecting Virgin Australia's bid to increase warnings of strikes and bans from three to seven days, because it would result in diminished worker bargaining power.
Container terminal operator DP World says it is facing continuing protected action by MUA members until at least November 13, as the cost of the parties' bargaining impasse mounts.
Chevron is accusing unions of ignoring a FWC recommendation to halt industrial action set to begin on Thursday while negotiations continue today before Commissioner Bernie Riordan to iron out differences that emerged after the parties reached a settlement on September 22.
The MUA and its leaders have averted the threat of liability for alleged secondary boycotts against transport and logistics company Qube, after the union provided an undertaking this afternoon that it would withdraw that part of its planned protected action against stevedore DP World.
DP World is calling on the MUA to call off further protected action at the company's container terminals from Sunday to enable further bargaining negotiations, warning it is actively looking into "alternatives" to maintain services.
A FWC member is recommending "a good deal" to settle a Sydney Water bargaining dispute that would boost wages by 11%, provide a one-off $2000 cost of living payment and facilitate a new classification framework to bust through the utility's "glass ceiling".
The Offshore Alliance is about to resume industrial action at Chevron's Gorgon and Wheatstone onshore LNG processing facilities, amid accusations the energy giant reneged on a commitment to incorporate FWC peace deal recommendations into its agreements.
A pre-Christmas waterfront battle between the MUA and container terminal operator DP World kicks off today with a 48-hour strike in Fremantle, which started at 6am WA time, to be followed by a 44-hour stoppage in Melbourne, from noon on Sunday.
