Industrial action/disputes page 52 of 82

Victoria's police federation has lost a battle to secure overtime for officers working at the 2014 G20 leaders' summit in Brisbane after the FWC concluded they were not working in the six hours between checking out of their hotel and a bus arriving to take them to their homebound flights.

After clashing over workload protections for teachers and support workers in more than 500 NSW and ACT Catholic schools, the Independent Education Union is seeking to take industrial action and negotiate agreements directly with 11 dioceses rather than make the multi-enterprise agreement sought by the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations.

A full Federal Court majority has found that the court cannot treat a "lawful request" or a party's motivation for taking coercive industrial action as a mitigating factor when assessing penalties and has ordered a twelve-fold increase in fines against the CFMEU for organising a blockade at Perth International Airport in 2013.

New ACTU secretary Sally McManus has defended her support for unionists to break "unjust laws", arguing the ability to strike is a "human right" and that Australia is out of step with international labour conventions.

Workers at spice giant McCormick Foods are commencing rolling strikes today as a call for a consumer boycott of iconic products such as Aeroplane Jelly and Keen's Mustard gains traction on social media.

The Federal Court has today imposed $1,300 individual fines on more than 50 construction workers who took unprotected industrial action to attend a rally at Perth's children's hospital project in 2013, while it has thrown out an ABCC adverse action case against the CFMEU construction and general division's ACT branch and officials.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has belatedly confirmed his support for the Fair Work Commission's decision to cut Sunday penalty rates, representing his position as consistent with the Liberals' "backing" of small business.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has upbraided new ACTU leader Sally McManus for expressing her support for key affiliate the CFMEU's flouting of "unjust" IR laws.

The RTBU is challenging the FWC's refusal to determine a dispute over a proposed restructure by Pacific National, claiming a "burdensome requirement" to name individual members involved threatens to "corrode" union power.

The number of industrial disputes hit an 11-year high last year, according to new ABS data released today, but they are nevertheless occurring at less than 15% of the level of 30 years ago.