The Federal Court has today reversed a judge's finding that a CFMMEU organiser directed a "disgusting" homophobic slur towards a construction project's safety advisor, while it also axed a personal payment order against him.
Long-serving MUA national secretary Paddy Crumlin is facing a rank-and-file challenger in the union's quadrennial elections, which will also have contested polls for State leadership positions in Queensland and Victoria.
Professional associations representing Victoria's surveyors have joined forces to push back against the CFMMEU's construction division allegedly applying unlawful pressure on their members to join the union, hindering work on major projects.
The winding-up of the ROC early next month is set to trigger a compensation payment of about $130,000 for Registered Organisations Commissioner Mark Bielecki.
The ROC is probing whether a CFMMEU branch is complying with financial obligations following an investigation that prompted a Federal Court case against its leader, while the watchdog has decided not to pursue the National Retail Association over membership irregularities.
The FWC says a proposed amalgamation of the Australian Hotels Association and the Accommodation Association of Australia will give the latter a "strong voice" within the merged employer body and held that only its members will have to vote on it in a ballot opening next month.
Union officials can't use their right to enter premises for discussions with members to gather signatures on petitions or "secure a commitment to a particular course of action in the future", the Federal Court has found, ruling in favour of an employer that blocked access for an organiser who sought workers' backing for a majority support determination.
As ROC staff await their transfer to the FWC, the watchdog has found that a former AEU ACT branch secretary did not improperly use his position, while it is also pursuing the AWU and a CFMMEU mining and energy division Queensland district leader in the Federal Court.
The ROC has found the IEU WA branch's former secretary appears to have benefited from spending union funds but has decided not to pursue the matter given the time, resources and cost it would require and the branch's desire to drop it.