LABOR UNIONS – AUSTRALIA

Unions want four-year wage targets

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 11-Oct-16

United Voice, which represents hospitality industry workers, claims that the minimum wage now comprises just 53 per cent of median earnings, compared with 62 per cent in 1997. The union’s submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual wage review argues for the introduction of a "floor" to ensure that the minimum wage does not fall below 60 per cent of the median wage. United Voice also proposes the introduction of four-year targets for increases in the minimum wage.

CORPORATES
UNITED VOICE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, ACTU, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CONSERVATIVE PARTY (GREAT BRITAIN)

Jackson silent as 70 charges laid bare

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Original article by Pia Akerman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 20-Sep-16

The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court has imposed strict bail conditions on the Health Services Union’s former national secretary, Kathy Jackson. She will return to court for a committal hearing in January 2017, when she will face 70 charges of fraud and theft relating to the unauthorised use of the union’s funds. Amongst other things, Jackson is accused of transferring union funds to her personal bank account and paying for personal expenses with the union’s credit cards. Jackson could face up to 10 years in jail if she is convicted.

CORPORATES
HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, LAWSONS AUCTIONEERS AND VALUERS, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Strikes to smash families’ holidays

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 3 : 15-Sep-16

The Community & Public Sector Union has flagged industrial action by Department of Immigration & Border Force employees between 26 September and 2 October 2016. The escalating dispute over a new enterprise agreement is expected to result in strike action at Australia’s international airports and cruise ship terminals, as well as cargo ports. The industrial action will coincide with school holidays in some states, which has attracted criticism from Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

CORPORATES
COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC SECTOR UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Union deals make project costs double US

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Original article by Rick Wallace
The Australian – Page: 5 : 12-Sep-16

A report produced by the Menzies Research Centre and the HR Nicholls Society highlights the impact that union influence has on construction costs in Australia. The report concludes that the cost of building infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and airports is typically much higher than in the US. It cites a range of factors, including high labour costs and excessive wage claims, the pattern bargaining system and rostered days off. The report supports measures such as reinstatement of the Australian Building & Construction Commission.

CORPORATES
THE MENZIES RESEARCH CENTRE LIMITED, HR NICHOLLS SOCIETY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, BUSINESS COUNCIL (UNITED STATES), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Labor Right union wants exclusion from bullying laws

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 2-Sep-16

The Communications, Electrical & Plumbing Union is seeking an exemption from anti-bullying laws. The union argues that it is not a "constitutionally covered business" and, therefore, bullying claims made by one of its official against another are outside the anti-bullying jurisdiction. Val Butler, a member of the union’s national council, accused divisional assistant secretary John O’Donnell of bullying and harassment. The matter will be considered at a special full bench hearing of the Fair Work Commission in October 2016.

CORPORATES
COMMUNICATIONS, ELECTRICAL, ELECTRONIC, ENERGY, INFORMATION, POSTAL, PLUMBING AND ALLIED SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, FINANCE SECTOR UNION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Jackson faces jail over fraud charges

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 1-Sep-16

Former union leader Kathy Jackson has been charged with 70 offences. The former national secretary of the Health Services Union (HSU) will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 19 September 2016. The case was triggered by HSU’s complaint to police that Jackson misappropriated $900,000 from the union. Jackson declared bankruptcy in 2015.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Coles deal forces union rates retreat

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 30-Aug-16

The Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association has reviewed nearly 100 enterprise agreements in response to the Fair Work Commission’s decision to strike down its pay deal with Coles. The SDA’s national secretary, Gerard Dwyer, has warned that the ruling means that the union will have to cease the long-standing practice of trading off penalty rates in return for gaining higher base rates of pay for its members. The FWC ruled that the Coles enterprise agreement breached the "no disadvantage" test.

CORPORATES
SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Union claim for casual workers’ upgrade a ‘threat to full-time jobs’

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 2 : 18-Aug-16

The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has warned of the economic cost of the ACTU’s push for casual workers to become permanent employees after being in a job for six months. ACCI CEO James Pearson says modelling by Australian National University economists suggests that the proposed reform would cost the economy about $A3.7bn a year and result in the loss of 19,000 full-time equivalent jobs. The Fair Work Commission is likely to rule on the matter later in 2016.

CORPORATES
ACTU, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION

Major builder faces ban

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 12-Aug-16

The Federal Circuit Court has imposed $A25,575 in penalties on Hutchinson Builders. The court found that the company did not want to award a contract to a business whose enterprise agreement lacked approval from the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union. The case is now being considered by Fair Work Building & Construction, and Hutchinson Builders may be subject to other sanctions.

CORPORATES
FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, HUTCHINSON BUILDERS, FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Millions can cash out leave

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Original article by Nick Toscano
The Age – Page: 23 : 4-Aug-16

Almost two million Australian employees who are covered by the modern industrial awards system will now have the option of cashing out part of their annual leave entitlement. The Fair Work Commission’s decision to allow cashing out has the support of the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, although ACTU secretary Dave Oliver has expressed concern about the potential ramifications of the decision. The FWC is expected to issue a ruling on weekend penalty rates in September 2016.

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