CFMEU national leader Zach Smith is stepping back from his role as secretary of the under-administration construction division to focus on its Victorian branch, stating that while he is "willing to take responsibility for decisions I make", he "cannot be asked to take responsibility for decisions" that are not his.
A Canberra contractor that blocked CFMEU officials from investigating safety issues has been hit with higher penalties after conceding that a judge mistakenly bundled obstruction and misrepresentation breaches together when determining fines.
The FWC has warned MEU general vice president Stephen Smyth it will not be so accommodating next time he wants to renew his entry permit should he ever repeat behaviour that attracted more than $80,000 in fines for using slurs such as "f--king scab", "maggot" and "dirty rat" during a coal mine strike.
Century-old Restaurant and Catering Australia has applied to register as an employer organisation in an apparent attempt to differentiate itself from a rival peak body established by major industry figures last year.
The CFMEU construction division's ACT branch committee of management is urging administrator Mark Irving KC to reinstate Michael Hiscox as acting branch secretary, contradicting claims he oversaw an "unsustainable" financial and membership decline.
A senior FWC member has praised a "removed" former CFMEU construction division leader for answering national secretary Zach Smith's call to come out of retirement to take up a training role, granting him a certificate allowing him to return to work.
CFMEU construction division administrator Mark Irving KC's decision to remove the ACT branch's acting secretary after he voiced concerns about a restructure raises transparency issues and confirms a push to centralise power, according to a removed official.
CFMEU construction division leader Zach Smith has hit back at "bullshit" claims that a planned restructure to centralise campaigning, communications and training functions will undemocratically hand control to the national office and reduce members' influence.
Burger chain Grill'd has failed to convince the FWC to approve its enterprise deal, after offering undertakings that would have left some workers $3.10 better off a week, up from 77 cents, while the SDA is seeking to terminate 15 of the company's agreements and is asking it to return to the bargaining table.
The QNMU says the Crisafulli Liberal Government has reneged on a commitment to maintain "nation-leading" wages and conditions for the State's nurses and midwives, with an offer that will leave two-thirds of them worse off in three years and hand the competitive edge to Victoria.
