Dispute resolution page 11 of 11

Australia's largest rail freight operator, Aurizon, has been ordered to provide the full pro-rata rate of pay to a train driver who was to receive a reduced amount under a compassionate grounds/short-term medical disability clause when she returned part-time from maternity leave.

Determining a matter "on the papers" when a union had asked for a hearing denied it procedural fairness, a Fair Work Commission full bench has ruled.

Senior FWC members will head up enterprise bargaining and dispute resolution workshops in a pilot to kick off in Sydney next month, as part of the tribunal's broader strategy to encourage more productive workplaces.

The ACTU says it is "unhelpful" when law firms provide advice to employers based more on their legal rights than the best way to resolve a dispute.