The Federal Court has today imposed almost $600,000 in fines on the CFMEU and 10 officials for organising two days of industrial action at nine Kane Constructions sites three years ago.
A full Federal Court majority has found that the court cannot treat a "lawful request" or a party's motivation for taking coercive industrial action as a mitigating factor when assessing penalties and has ordered a twelve-fold increase in fines against the CFMEU for organising a blockade at Perth International Airport in 2013.
New ACTU secretary Sally McManus has defended her support for unionists to break "unjust laws", arguing the ability to strike is a "human right" and that Australia is out of step with international labour conventions.
The Federal Court has today imposed $1,300 individual fines on more than 50 construction workers who took unprotected industrial action to attend a rally at Perth's children's hospital project in 2013, while it has thrown out an ABCC adverse action case against the CFMEU construction and general division's ACT branch and officials.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has belatedly confirmed his support for the Fair Work Commission's decision to cut Sunday penalty rates, representing his position as consistent with the Liberals' "backing" of small business.
The Federal Court has found that while AMWU, CFMEU and AWU organisers did not "instruct", "advise" or "encourage" employees at a Victorian paper mill to walk off the job for three days, they and the unions were knowingly involved in the unlawful strikes.
The Federal Court has imposed $1,000 individual penalties on 19 workers who stymied a concrete pour when they unlawfully walked off a Perth construction site.
The FWC will allow the ABCC to include material the CFMEU claims is prejudicial in its application to axe the entry permits of three officials who allegedly abused their rights when they visited Lend Lease sites in 2014.
The NSW Public Service Association has defied a court order restraining it from organising its members to strike in protest at the State Government's plans to privatise disability support work and will now face substantial penalties in the Supreme Court.
A court has fined the CFMEU and two organisers almost $100,000, after finding the union engaged in unlawful coercion and adverse action when it organised a blockade at the $1.6 billion Port of Melbourne expansion project because an employer refused to bargain.
