Employers opposing the merger of the CFMEU, MUA and TCFU have warned the FWC that the unions would use their combined might to cripple the resource and construction industries, but they argue that in any case more than 45 pending penalty proceedings should legally disqualify them from amalgamating.
A union's liability for entry breaches by its officials has been underlined by a court hitting the CFMEU with a $200,000 fine for disrupting a concrete pour on a major rail project over alleged safety concerns.
An FWC full bench has refused the CEPU leave to appeal a ROC decision on financial reporting deadlines, holding that the "real purpose" of the union's case was to avoid potential penalties for failing to meet its statutory obligations.
Aerocare's attempt to revive its appeal against the rejection of a new agreement has fallen short, after an FWC full bench rejected the aviation services company's "misconceived" offer to improve conditions for casuals.
If proven ability to interpret and enforce rules and skin thick enough to withstand regular abuse are among the prerequisites required to lead the construction industry watchdog, then new Workplaces Minister Craig Laundy would appear to have chosen well.
The Federal Court has overturned a CEPU decision to strip a long-term delegate of her union roles, after finding that two officials who heard charges against her were "invincibly biased".
A court has thrown out a union bid to shut down a report into discriminatory behaviour in the Victorian fire services, confirming that the state human rights commission's powers extend to investigating statutory corporations.
Gordon Legal has won the legal work of Victoria's biggest union, the ANMF's State branch, after poaching key employment lawyers from a rival firm, Ryan Carlisle Thomas.
The FWO is investigating protests at Melbourne's Webb Dock during the MUA's dispute with stevedore VICT which, despite Victorian Supreme Court cease-orders, continued until the worker's temporary reinstatement last Friday.
The AWU is seeking access to documents on the "political purpose" of the Registered Organisations Commission's decision to investigate past donations by the union, the Federal Court has heard.
