Despite ultimately having to arrest a key witness to give evidence on its behalf, the ABCC has failed to convince the Federal Court the CFMEU acted unlawfully by denying two members of a caulking company access to a building site in Melbourne.
A tribunal has ordered an employer to allow the CFMEU entry to a major freeway construction site to investigate suspected breaches of OHS laws amid claims of threats directed towards its "stressed and anxious" members.
The FWC has ordered the CFMEU's mining and energy division to stop inciting its members to ban overtime and take suspected sickies at AGL Energy's Loy Yang A power station.
An FWC full bench has accused the CFMEU of seeking to "disguise" what would be an exercise of judicial power over entry rights as an administrative matter and of relying on a "red herring" argument.
The ABCC is seeking special leave from the High Court to seek to overturn a recent decision that stymied the watchdog's push to prohibit unions from paying fines imposed on officials for unlawful conduct.
The FWC has declined AGL's request for an order to stop what it suspects is industrial action by employees at its Loy Yang A power plant in Victoria after it was unable to secure enough employees to work overtime, leading to the company being unable to bring two of its four power generating units back online on the weekend.
More than 27% of public administration, defence, community services and utility workers belong to a union compared with less than 10% in mining and construction, while those of retirement age are significantly more likely to be members than those under 25, according to new research.
The CFMEU expects to lodge an appeal early next week against yesterday's FWC decision to terminate the agreement for AGL Loy Yang's power station and coal mine because of the "intractable" bargaining dispute between the parties.
The FWC has granted MUA WA branch secretary Chris Cain a new entry permit but has warned that any breaches would undermine his credibility, making it "extraordinarily difficult" for him to continue to be deemed a "fit and proper" person.
The FWC has chastised an employer for distributing a "partisan" majority support ballot notice that discourages employees from voting to start bargaining.