Industrial action/disputes page 17 of 81

The FWC has brought the shutter down on protected industrial action at a smelter after determining that its "organic" nature gave the business little chance of safely preparing for its impact.

A tribunal member has reinstated six sacked Qube Ports waterfront shift managers and expressed alarm at a senior manager's "bizarre" and "ridiculous" proposal that three of them sign an unsighted document before it divulged its plan to maintain operations during a strike.

Qantas did not have any "witching hour" deadline for pushing ahead with a plan to outsource up to 2000 ground crew jobs, a full Federal Court heard today.

In a rare test of the Fair Work Act's new casual conversion provisions, the FWC has recommended an employer review a worker's request in six months and consider establishing a core workforce of permanent employees.

The Perrottet Government will withdraw its s426 bid to suspend or terminate the rail union's industrial action at Sydney Trains, as part of a deal with the RTBU to resume bargaining.

The Perth-based newspaper group controlled by billionaire Kerry Stokes has locked out more than 100 printers for an indefinite period after they rejected a second bargaining offer.

The ACCC's recent heightened focus on the building industry might be bearing fruit, after the Federal Court found this week that the CFMMEU induced and had knowing involvement in major construction company J Hutchinson's unlawful boycott of a non-union waterproofing subcontractor, the Federal Court has ruled.

Major tug boat operator Svitzer Australia has gained more time to prepare its application to suspend or terminate AMOU members' protected action, which is to due to start on Thursday.

The Perrottet Government says it is looking at "some further recognition" of the work performed by NSW nurses and midwives without prompting other public sector wage claims above its 2.5% annual cap.

Patrick Terminals says the four-year in-principle agreement it has struck with the MUA removes "restrictive recruitment conditions", while delivering "other much-needed flexibilities" for its four container terminals, while the MUA says it has received "assurances" on job security and has won pay rises of 2.5% or CPI, whichever is greater.