In a significant ruling on what constitutes a "genuine" effort to reach agreement while bargaining, a FWC full bench has upheld a member's decision to grant a PABO to a union, despite it having met with the employer only once by the time its application came before the tribunal.
The CFMEU construction division's Queensland branch has suffered multiple setbacks in its bargaining stoush with the head contractor of the state's $7 billion Cross River Rail project, with workers voting up a new deal put directly by the company and the FWC separately issuing two orders stopping unprotected industrial action.
The Federal Court has again intervened to turn down the heat in a continuing bargaining stoush between the CFMEU and the head contractor for Queensland's $7 billion Cross River Rail project, giving the union until Thursday to challenge orders imposing 15-metre no-go zones around sites and prohibiting the filming of workers crossing picket lines.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has criticised stevedore DP World for "relying on ministerial intervention" to resolve its bargaining dispute with the MUA, saying he told the company today he has no intention to take such a step.
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.
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.
Woodside has narrowly averted impending industrial action at its North West Shelf gas platforms after reaching an in-principle deal endorsed by Offshore Alliance and ETU members this morning, while protected action ballots at Chevron are set to close today.
