Unions and the ALP today secured support from a key business group as they continue to pressure the Morrison Government into paying UK-style wage subsidies to coronavirus-affected workers, against a background of tripartite cooperation not seen for 25 years.
An AMWU organiser has been fined $12,000 for threatening to blockade a building site and generate "bad PR" if the project refused to engage union members.
The AEC will no longer conduct attendance ballots for protected industrial action until the coronavirus crisis is resolved, prompting the FWC to vary multiple union PABO applications in order to delay the close of voting and allow for postal ballots.
The Federal Circuit Court has held that an employer was obliged to dock four hours' pay from workers attending a lunchtime talk on asbestos that ran 45 minutes over time, noting a supervisor who considered it "unremarkable" had no authority to extend the meeting.
The coronavirus pandemic requires a temporary but fundamental reconsideration of the Fair Work Act's safety net, according to a joint bid to vary a key award to provide substantial operational and hours flexibility.
Flight Centre is hoping that thousands of workers it has stood down will be able pick up short-term work with in-demand services, such as call centres that have been squeezed by coronavirus lockdowns in The Philippines and India.
The Federal Court has rejected a "novel" contention that the FWC would be invalidly exercising judicial power if it arbitrated a dispute under an agreement an employer inherited after winning a Defence Department tender.
NSW has passed legislation to give workers earlier and more flexible access to long service during the COVID-19 pandemic and possibly providing a model for other states.
A joint ACCI and Ai Group application is being made to the FWC today to allow reductions in working hours while keeping the same hourly rate of pay for up to one million workers covered by the clerks award.
The FWC has moved quickly to endorse coronavirus redeployment measures agreed between the UWU and DHL Supply Chain, enabling employees to maintain their terms and conditions while temporarily working in other industry sectors.
