LABOR UNIONS – AUSTRALIA

ACTU’s new bargaining bid risks industrial chaos

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 13-Apr-18

The Federal Government and business leaders have criticised the ACTU’s push for changes to the Fair Work Act to allow employees and employers to negotiate wages and conditions at the industry level rather than the enterprise level. The ACTU’s six-point plan also includes the right to take protected industrial action at industry level. Workplace Relations Minister Craig Laundy warns that the proposals would see industrial action rise to the levels of the 1970s, while Australian Industry Group CEO Innes Willox says militant unions would be the sole beneficiaries of any such reforms.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

ACTU bid for 1970s-style IR

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 12-Apr-18

ACTU secretary Sally has proposed changing the Fair Work Act to allow employees and employers to negotiate wages and conditions at the industry level rather than the enterprise level. She argues that the imbalance which gives employers greater bargaining power under existing provisions of the Act needs to be addressed. McManus has also called for amendments to allow unions and workers to take protected industrial action in support of sector-wide wage claims. The ACTU’s "wages blueprint" also includes scrapping penalty rate cuts and increasing the minimum wage.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Howard in warning on mega-union

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 6-Apr-18

Former prime minister John Howard says the Federal Government should press ahead with its Ensuring Integrity Bill, which would subject union mergers to a public interest test. The bill was recently shelved after it was not passed by Parliament prior to the formal completion of the merger between the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Maritime Union of Australia. Howard is concerned that the merger will lead to an "ultra-­concentration" of union power. Chris Corrigan, the former CEO of stevedoring firm Patrick Corporation, has expressed similar concerns.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, PATRICK CORPORATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS

Rip appears in union fabric as turf war looms

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 4-Apr-18

Geofabrics alleges that the Queensland division of the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union breached right-of-entry laws when four officials attempted to gain access to its factory in Ormeau. The industrial textile manufacturer’s staff are represented by the Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia, which recently merged with the CFMEU. TCFUA secretary Michele O’Neil is said to be "aghast" at the CFMEU’s actions. The case will be heard by the Fair Work Commission and Queensland’s industrial relations commission.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, TEXTILE, CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR UNION OF AUSTRALIA, GEOFABRICS AUSTRALASIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, QUEENSLAND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION, QUEENSLAND COUNCIL OF UNIONS, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Threat to strike as union job axed

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 29-Mar-18

Alcoa and the Australian Workers’ Union are negotiating a new enterprise agreement for workers at the Portland aluminium smelter in Victoria. However, the AWU is resisting Alcoa’s push to abolish the full-time position of union convener, which boasts an annual salary of $A123,000. The convener solely undertakes union-related duties at the smelter, and Alcoa contends that the position is not necessary given that the AWU already has a full-time organiser at the site. The AWU has warned of the potential for strike action over the issue.

CORPORATES
ALCOA OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES

Not too late to unwind CFMMEU

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 28-Mar-18

The full bench of the Fair Work Commission will hear an appeal against the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union’s merger with the Maritime Union of Australia on 9 April. The merger formally took effect on 28 March, but the Australian Mines & Metals Association and Master Builders Australia believe that it can be overturned on legal grounds. The appeal will be based on the argument that a contempt court action against the MUA constitutes criminal proceedings, which would make the merger unlawful.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

Union merger test abandoned

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 27-Mar-18

The Federal Government will not seek to block a merger between the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Maritime Union of Australia. The Government has shelved plans to introduce a public interest test for union mergers after failing to secure sufficient support for the bill among crossbenchers. Australian Mines & Metals Association CEO Steve Knott and Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn have expressed disappointment with the decision.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU

Viterra axes pay by 24pc after union snubs hearing

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 23-Mar-18

The Fair Work Commission has agreed to a request by grain company Viterra to terminate an enterprise agreement covering workers at its Port Lincoln terminal in South Australia. Its request followed three years of unsuccessful negotiation with the Australian Workers’ Union. As a result of the FWC’s decision, the workers in question will now come under the relevant industry award. Their pay will be cut by as much as 24 per cent, while they will no longer be entitled to generous redundancy entitlements.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, VITERRA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES

ACTU demands changes to lift workers’ power

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 22-Mar-18

The Australian Industry Group has warned that a push by ACTU secretary Sally McManus for major changes to the industrial relations regime would result in job losses and reduced employment opportunities for young people. McManus has used a National Press Club speech to argue that restrictions on enterprise bargaining are hindering wages growth, and she has called for workers to be given the same bargaining rights as CEOs and multinational corporations. McManus has also claimed that the Fair Work Commission is no longer independent and the Fair Work Ombudsman has been politicised.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, NATIONAL PRESS CLUB (AUSTRALIA), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

New Senate push to kill union merger

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 21-Mar-18

The Federal Government hopes to secure the support of Senate crossbenchers for legislation to block a merger between the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union and the Maritime Union of Australia. The Nick Xenophon Team has signalled that it is open to negotiations regarding amendments to the Ensuring Integrity Bill, while the Liberal Democratic Party’s David Leyonhjelm say he is holding talks with the Government. The CFMEU-MUA merger will proceed on 27 March unless the bill is amended.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, ONE NATION PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN MINES AND METALS ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION