Employers opposing the merger of the CFMEU, MUA and TCFU have warned the FWC that the unions would use their combined might to cripple the resource and construction industries, but they argue that in any case more than 45 pending penalty proceedings should legally disqualify them from amalgamating.
An FWC full bench has refused the CEPU leave to appeal a ROC decision on financial reporting deadlines, holding that the "real purpose" of the union's case was to avoid potential penalties for failing to meet its statutory obligations.
The AWU is seeking access to documents on the "political purpose" of the Registered Organisations Commission's decision to investigate past donations by the union, the Federal Court has heard.
In the first appeal against a Registered Organisations Commission decision, an FWC full bench has quashed the watchdog's refusal to grant a union more time to submit election information and observed that its approach to defending the case could imply "a lack of impartiality".
An independent investigator's report that was due today to determine whether Flight Attendants Association national division secretary Andrew Staniforth was to be immediately reinstalled has been delayed until next Wednesday.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says one of her staffers has resigned after admitting he leaked information to the media about the AFP raids on the AWU yesterday.
The Federal Court has ordered the CFMEU and a delegate to pay almost $100,000 in penalties for the coercion involved when he prevented a subcontractor's employee from working on a job because he wasn't a union member.
Flight Attendants Association national division secretary Andrew Staniforth has withdrawn a court case against his union after it agreed to provide an opportunity for him to respond to "questions" and appoint former Unions NSW secretary Mark Lennon to investigate any subsequent allegations.
