A judge has in imposing a penalty on the CFMMEU for a worksite shutdown described as "something of a fiction" any belief that such fines will deter the union from future contraventions.
The FWC has renewed CFMMEU maritime division national secretary Paddy Crumlin's entry permit, but only after closely scrutinising his involvement in two unlawful industrial actions still before the courts.
A court has declined to make a declaration agreed to by an employer for admitted breaches of the Fair Work Act, ruling that its repetition of adverse findings would not "have any educative or deterrent effect. . . at all".
Real labour costs plummet as profits share soars; Police hit with $85K costs for "naïve" union prosecution; Slow wage growth "no puzzle" for employers: PC.
In what is believed to be an Australian-first, the Victorian CFMMEU is seeking penalties of more than $4 million against four police officers and the civil construction giant McConnell Dowell for allegedly stopping union safety officials from inspecting "high-risk work" at a level-crossing removal project.
A CFMMEU official has retained his entry permit despite being heavily fined for his part in a heated worksite stoush, the FWC finding he was acting on "genuine but mistaken" legal advice about his rights.
The FWC has rebuked CFMMEU officials and managers of a Queensland fabrics manufacturer over a series of entry disputes, describing their behaviour as "big on bravado and short on professionalism".
The CFMMEU is taking a building company to court for allegedly requiring 24 hours' written notice for permit holders wanting to investigate suspected safety breaches at a WA construction site unless the union sent someone qualified to carry out testing.
The ABCC is pursuing the CFMMEU and eight organisers for repeatedly refusing to show entry permits at a major Queensland road project on the basis they were responding to safety issues as "concerned citizens, not as union officials".
