Towage company Svitzer is set to lock out its harbour tugboat workforce, claiming it has been forced into it by continuing disruptive protected action by three maritime unions.
The MBA says it is pressing NSW's Perrottet Government for a procurement policy to protect builders against the ETU's pursuit of a "disastrous" deal with major contractors that it describes as the "spear point" of multi-employer pattern bargaining.
The CFMMEU's mining & energy division is seeking authorisation from members to take industrial action as it pursues the replacement of the biggest enterprise agreement in the Queensland coalfields, after losing patience with BHP in FWC-brokered negotiations.
Unions are accusing Apple of trying to ram through a deal that could have employees working up to 60 hours a week without overtime, with the ASU and the SDA calling for more time to consult and RAFFWU seeking 5% a year and to claw back alleged underpayments.
Westpac is holding out a $1000 incentive to encourage employees to vote up its proposed agreement that promises a 4% rise in January for employees earning less than $95,000, when inflation is forecast to reach almost 8%, but the FSU says it should be increasing its base pay offer as the union pursues a 6% boost.
Qantas has secured new deals with freight pilots and unlicenced aircraft engineers but the threat of turmoil looms, with licensed engineers voting to stop work, ground crew considering it and the FAAA claiming domestic fight attendants are facing ultimatums.
Pilots at the REX airline group will tomorrow start voting on protected action amid rising tensions over the level of "catch-up" pay rises to be included in a new enterprise agreement.
The FSU is seeking annual pay rises of 6% in bargaining at both Westpac and NAB, arguing the hefty increases are justified by the inflation spike and the major banks' continuing strong profits.
