Sodexo's circuitous journey to a new offshore deal has taken another turn after the FWC gave unions the go-ahead to conduct a strike ballot despite arguments that a claim for workers to be provided only vegetarian meals showed they were not bargaining genuinely.
A full Federal Court has delivered a pointed rebuke to FWC President Iain Ross, finding it could not consider a challenge to the decision of a Commission full bench he led because it was not, "with respect, any decision. . . at all".
The FWC has granted a two-day extension for an aged care worker to file her unlawful dismissal claim after finding the combined circumstances - including the Christmas Eve deadline, her worsening bipolar disorder symptoms and the anniversary of her mother's death - to be exceptional.
The FWC has upheld Star Casino's sacking of a food and beverage server who said he tapped a colleague's bottom in an act of comradery, accused three workmates of entrapping him and threatened to "raise hell" for his employer.
The FWC has refused the RTBU's bid for a scope order so that it can negotiate separate agreements for Australian Rail Track Corporation's operational employees and their office-based colleagues, finding that even if it could ignore "sloppy" position descriptions in the application, a carve-out would not improve bargaining.
In a decision contemplating the extent to which pleadings can be changed during proceedings, an appeal court has refused a manager's last-minute bid to claim he was assaulted by co-workers when "impelled" to perform in gold hotpants during a company conference.
A tribunal has upended a large transport company's "unilateral" decision to change to zero its blood alcohol policy limit for contracted owner-drivers, finding a toolbox meeting and noticeboard postings did not meet the governing agreement's consultation requirements.
An FWC member must rehear the unfair dismissal claim of a glazier sacked for frequent absences following surgery, a full bench finding he failed to consider whether the employer notified the worker of reasons later found to be valid or gave him a chance to respond.
A full Federal Court has largely dismissed the CFMMEU's broad-ranging appeal against more than $300,000 in fines imposed for attempting to force a contractor into signing a union-approved deal, agreeing only that publication orders served no purpose and that too much was made of an "eenie meenie miney mo!" text message.
The FWC has held that a service station operator "set about" dismissing a worker after she filed a compensation claim, unfairly sacking her over her pink hair, s-xual objectification of a male customer and derogatory comments, despite having some valid reasons.
