The Federal Court has ordered the coal mining union to pay a $120,000 penalty for contempt of court - a big reduction on a $200,000 penalty overturned by a full bench. The court has also ordered the union to pay indemnity costs, which are likely to exceed $200,000.
Ron McCallum, the Blake Dawson Waldron Professor of Industrial Law at Sydney University and a leading figure in recent IR law reform in the eastern states, has been promoted to Dean of the university191s Law Faculty.
In a further step toward unions' objectives of regulating and organising the call centre industry, the IRC has recognised that the NUW's commercial traveller coverage extends to call centre workers, and the ASU has won a dispute finding against pay TV operators.
The IRC has cleared the way for BHP Steel Limited to seek damages from maintenance unions and up to 260 workers for revenue lost during a strike at the company's Western Port steel production site in Victoria.
Unions believe an upcoming full bench arbitration of an enterprise award for a call centre could help to build a new benchmark for employment regulation in the fast-expanding industry.
An unfair dismissal ruling highlights the importance of an employer obtaining details of any criminal charges against a worker in order to make a decision about their future employment.
The Cole Royal Commission has signalled that it will consider recommending a powerful national taskforce to enforce the law in the construction industry.
In a blow for Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward's campaign for a national paid maternity leave scheme, Finance Minister Nick Minchin has labelled paid leave as middle class welfare and suggested it would be too costly to the public purse.
