The FWC's HSU investigations and litigation have cost more than $2.5 million so far, with a further bill of up to $150,000 likely from current Federal Court proceedings against former national secretary Craig Thomson, a Senate committee has heard.
Fair Work Commission general manager Bernadette O'Neill will seek civil penalties against the Musicians' Union and one of its officials for 118 alleged breaches of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act.
The Abbott Government says it has given former High Court judge Dyson Heydon a broad brief to probe employer behaviour and the role of police in industrial matters in the royal commission announced this afternoon, but the focus of its terms of reference is squarely on union misconduct.
The Toll Group and the TWU have reached an "in principle" agreement for the company's 10,000-strong workforce, delivering a potential pay increase of 15.25% over four years and a commitment to maintain employer super contributions at 3% above the statutory minimum.
O'Neill launches investigation into former TCFU branch; FWC fair hearings practice note commences; and Parham to deliver third workplace relations lecture series address.
Unions gained 6,000 members in the 12 months to August last year, but growth failed to keep pace with the size of the workforce, so density fell from 18.4% to 18.2% overall and from 13.2% to 13% in the private sector, according to the ABS.
The ALAEA says FWA has cleared the way for it to pursue its bid to change its rules to cover a new category of unlicensed aircraft maintenance engineers at Qantas, after a full bench today rejected an application for orders to stop it representing the workers.
