Tug operator Svitzer has moved to a single national agreement, after the FWC rejected objections from one of three unions that the company had unfairly selected the employees to be covered.
Patrick and the MUA have today begun four days of assisted negotiations, despite an FWC full bench yesterday clearing the way for the union to resume industrial action.
Some 35,000 Department of Human Services employees began voting on Friday on a proposed deal delivering a 2% annual pay rise, while the FWC has recently approved agreements for three mid-sized APS agencies providing the same quantum to about 8,500 employees.
An FWC full bench has overturned a "counter-intuitive" decision to compensate a worker dismissed for his blatant disregard of his employer's drug and alcohol and OHS policies.
Making a project manager redundant after granting his request to be transferred to a less secure position did not constitute adverse action as the new role was better for his mental health and the employer's decision was based on his competence, qualifications, tenure and a business downturn, a court has found.
The AMWU is experiencing membership losses that threaten its future, according to a confidential review of the union led by former ACTU secretary Greg Combet.
Prior employee misconduct that did not result in dismissal but demonstrates a "pattern of unacceptable behaviour" must be considered when determining unfair dismissal cases, a Fair Work Commission full bench has ruled.
The AWU is calling for the corporate regulator to investigate whether Queensland Nickel breached corporations laws and whether owner Clive Palmer is acting as a "shadow director", as part of the union's push to secure members' outstanding entitlements.
