Restaurant employers have applied to the FWC to vary the industry award to provide more flexibility to deal with the coronavirus virus, following on from similar cases involving clerical and hotels awards.
The FWC has approved a protected action ballot at a major personal protection equipment company declared an "essential business" in the battle against coronavirus, after the employer withdrew multiple objections.
A senior FWC member says the tribunal cannot issue interim anti-bullying orders merely because there is a serious question to be tried, while it has made it clear to a worker that such an order is not a tool to prevent her dismissal until her matter is determined.
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.
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.
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.
The Australian Industry Group is working with the ACTU to fast-track changes to key awards to increase the flexibility of working hours and leave in response to the coronavirus crisis.
