In newly-issued reasons, a full Federal Court has taken issue with the ETU challenging the suspension of industrial action on the Sydney rail network on the basis that the FWC bench treated unions as an "undifferentiated whole", finding that the unions told the tribunal the individual positions of the bargaining representatives "were irrelevant".
Mining unions have applied to the FWC for a majority support determination to force Rio Tinto to the bargaining table with workers at its Paraburdoo iron ore operations, while an IR researcher says in a forthcoming book that Pilbara workers' ambitious demands at the height of union power more than four decades ago can provide lessons for unions today.
The Ai Group has hinted at a potential "consensus" in a FWC-initiated case with economy-wide implications to consider inserting WFH provisions in the clerks award, while expressing concern that it would be "unfair" to require submissions ahead of results of a survey on the issue, with the tribunal now persuaded to ditch the deadline and hold a conference.
Private sector bargained pay rises of 4% and public sector spikes of 5.4% have combined to produce the highest average annualised wage increases in almost 30 years, according to new DEWR data.
In a significant breakthrough for a NTEU excessive workloads case, a FWC full bench has found a university could have breached its agreement by allocating tasks to academics they could not reasonably complete within full-time hours, but it is questioning what, if any, relief would be available.
A tribunal has ruled that a signed "letter of appointment" did not authorise an employer to deduct payments related to a relocation allowance from his wages.
The number of workers covered by agreements has risen by 36.5% over the past three years, according to the latest triennial FWC general manager's report, while applications to deal with bargaining disputes rose 73.5% over the same period.
The FWC has closely examined the nature of "control" in remote workplaces as a pointer to a worker's employment status, ultimately finding an Australian-based manager for a US-registered charity an employee capable of pursuing an adverse action case.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has revealed in tonight's Budget speech that if the Albanese Government is returned for a second term, it will prohibit non-compete clauses for workers on incomes below $175,000 a year, from 2027.
