In a major breakthrough for the union movement, mining unions led by the CFMEU are close to securing a collective agreement to cover BHP Billiton's iron ore operations in the Pilbara - the first since the mining giant began offering individual statutory agreements eight years ago.
A company whose employee shot another worker outside their factory has lost its appeal against a ruling that it was liable for the incident and should pay $861,197 in damages for breaching its duty of care.
The WA branch of the CFMEU (construction division) has threatened to disaffiliate from Unions WA over the peak body's claims that the behaviour of its officials worked against the broader union movement during the federal election campaign.
Technical college offering AWAs as condition for pay bonuses, says IEU; Stop offering AWAs, HMMA advises members; TCFU fighting five-year AWA offer; RBA board queried Work Choices impact; IPA says Work Choices was "Big Brother" denial of the rule of law; AWU goes Facebook; and Stay of AIRC unfair dismissal ruling on belligerent employee.
The Federal Court has ordered windscreen manufacturer Pilkington Australia to pay a $4,000 penalty plus $27,643 in compensation for lost remuneration to an employee who was unlawfully sacked after complaining to his union about alleged bullying and harassment.
A worker's dismissal for safety breaches became harsh and unjust when investigative interviews "morphed into a disciplinary process", the AIRC has found.
The Victorian Government and the HSU have agreed to conciliation in the AIRC of their bargaining dispute in which work bans by allied health professionals have delayed patient discharges and cancelled out-patient appointments.
Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard has barred the federal public sector from offering take-it-or-leave-it AWAs, but has stopped short of barring the individual contracts altogether.
A NSW Roads and Traffic Authority employee who was sacked for unauthorised computer use has been awarded $7,000 in compensation, but has lost her bid for reinstatement.
Agencies in the Australian Public Service need to streamline their recruitment processes to reduce the "excessive" average time of 88 days taken to hire new employees, according to Australian Public Service Commissioner Lynelle Briggs.
