ACTU leader Sally McManus estimates it will be "years" before the CFMEU's construction and general division rejoins the union peak body, while revealing that former Victorian branch secretary John Setka "hates my guts" and that confidantes have expressed concern for her safety after allegations of organised crime's widespread involvement in the industry.
The FWC has granted extra time for a worker to challenge a dismissal she alleges came about while she underwent intensive cancer treatment, with no notification other than a request to hand over her work on her employer's WeChat group chat.
The ACTU executive has voted overwhelmingly to suspend the CFMEU construction and general division's membership of the peak body in the wake of allegations of criminality, while supporting the Federal Government's push to install an independent administrator in all but two of the division's branches around the country.
The fallout from allegations of criminality within the CFMEU construction and general division's Victorian branch is quickly spreading across the Labor-led states, with NSW Premier Chris Minns the latest to take action.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke will support a Federal Court application by FWC general manager Murray Furlong to take over the administration of CFMEU construction and general division branches facing accusations of corruption and criminality.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has this morning told a media conference this morning that he will introduce enabling legislation at the earliest opportunity if the FWC is blocked from appointing administrators to any branch of the CFMEU's construction and general division it believes is caught up in fresh allegations of corrupt and criminal behaviour.
FWC general manager Murray Furlong is "carefully reviewing" whether there is any conflict of interest arising from the CFMEU construction and general division national executive's decision to parachute divisional secretary Zach Smith into the Victorian branch's state secretary role in response to allegations of widespread corruption and criminality in the organisation.
The FWC has rejected a law firm's argument that a legal assistant abandoned his job, finding its director sacked him in a text message he composed with the assistance of artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.
Victoria's Chief Police Commissioner says that allegations about "obviously thuggish behaviour" in the state's construction industry are being assessed to see if they meet the threshold of criminality.
A FWC full bench has ruled on the agreed terms to be included in an intractable bargaining workplace determination under revised Closing Loopholes 2 Act criteria.
