The Turnbull Government's national construction code is seeking to break the "cartel-like behaviour" between head contractors and construction unions, according to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, but legal expert Andrew Stewart says building companies are facing "a complete mess".
The Senate last night passed unamended the Turnbull Government’s legislation to reduce the phase-in period for the 2016 national construction code from two years to nine months.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash will intervene before the Fair Work Commission if any attempt is made to seek FWC approval of the new enterprise agreement for Victoria's Country Fire Authority.
Lendlease has struck a new multi-state enterprise agreement with the CFMEU that will deliver pay rises of 20% over four years and provides for a new deal to be negotiated if the Turnbull Government's 2014 construction code takes effect.
The ETU has launched a Federal Court challenge to the construction watchdog's power to assess whether enterprise agreements comply with the 2013 construction code.
Victoria's volunteer firefighters have won further discovery of documents from the Country Fire Authority, in a case that considered whether dispute proceedings in the Fair Work Commission are covered by "without prejudice" privilege.
The UFU's proposed High Court bid to overturn the CFA legislation is "misconceived and likely to fail", according to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, who is confident the new law will survive any challenge.
The Senate has passed unamended the Turnbull Government’s bill to outlaw terms in the proposed CFA agreement that might limit the involvement of volunteer firefighters.
Employees on above-agreement wages can be disciplined for discussing pay or asking colleagues if they have received an increase, under a new deal for oil and gas industry transport workers approved by the FWC yesterday.
