An FWC full bench has dismissed the CFMMEU's application for costs against the AMMA and MBA for their unsuccessful appeal against last March's merger creating the mega-union, finding the employer bodies' case "not unworthy of consideration".
The Federal Court will rule this morning on whether a former senior media advisor to ex-Employment Minister Michaelia Cash will be required to answer questions in the AWU raids case, despite claiming privilege on the grounds of self-incrimination.
The Registered Organisations Commission knew that Employment Minister Michaelia Cash had a "keen political interest" in the AWU's past donations and this influenced its decision to start investigating the matter in October 2017, the union told the Federal Court today.
Maritime unions have failed to convince the FWC terminating two nominally-expired agreements that, in one case, had covered no workers since 2013 would sabotage the timetables of new dredging projects.
The Federal Court has ordered that the AFP produce statements made by former Employment Minister Michaelia Cash and three other witnesses during the police inquiry into media leaks about raids on the union's offices in 2017.
ACCI has called on the federal government to fund 50 additional FWO inspectors to address the "serious problem" of underpayments, while also recommending an increase in the FWC's budget to hasten agreement approvals.
RAFFWU has not given up on its push for a $1 billion backpay claim for Woolworths workers, lodging an appeal this week against the retailer's new national agreement, while the FWC says a successful bid by rival retail union the SDA to axe 30 nominally expired Pizza Hut deals will have an "overwhelmingly positive" effect.
A Federal Court judge has warned both sides over the conduct of a long-running case in which two former CFMMEU organisers claim they were driven out of their jobs for whistleblowing in a media interview, going so far as to remind the parties he can stop lawyers charging for "misconceived" work.
A Queensland professional association that markets itself as a cheaper, apolitical alternative to unions is calling on the FWC to force a major employer to seat it at the same table during bargaining meetings, ahead of its planned expansion by the end of the year.
