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Fair Work

Yesterday

CFMEU Victoria boss John Setka and AFL head of umpiring Stephen McBurney.

Ex-union boss Setka taken to court for threatening AFL umpire

Workplace watchdog launches legal action against former CFMEU secretary for allegedly trying to coerce the AFL into sacking its head of umpires.

  • David Marin-Guzman

This Month

There is no such thing as safe as houses when it comes to assessing risk for investors in property and sharemarkets.

Why Australia’s Fair Work Act changes hurt housing

The new rules are sinking jobs and businesses, and mean more expensive housing and an explosion in innovation that could create the very real risk of no building industry

  • Pru Goward

January

The Hamilton Island Resort in Queensland was underpaying staff for eight years.

Luxury island retreat underpaid staff by more than $20m

The operators of Hamilton Island’s leisure facilities have agreed to backpay thousands of employees, admitting to almost a decade of underpayment.

  • David Marin-Guzman
ACTU assistant secretary Joseph Mitchell argued big business would use the case to push for lower wages in other industries.

Assault on retail penalty rates may spread to other jobs: ACTU

A major push to simplify the retail award, backed by Coles, Woolworths, 7-Eleven and Mecca, has sparked union fears of a broader attack on penalty rates.

  • David Marin-Guzman

December 2024

Qantas has agreed to pay sacked workers $120 million in compensation.

Sacked Qantas workers win record $120m compensation payout

The Transport Workers Union has won compensation for 1700 baggage handlers and ground workers more than four years after they were illegally sacked.

  • Ayesha de Kretser
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November 2024

NAB is noticing an increase in money mules, where bnk accounts are used to move scammed funds.

NAB allegedly withdrew job offer after finding out woman was pregnant

National Australia Bank allegedly withdrew a job offer because it found out that the woman it had offered the role to was pregnant.

  • Lucas Baird
Sacked CFMEU NSW secretary Darren Greenfield speaking at the rally.

CFMEU rally throws down gauntlet despite smaller turnout

A rogue CFMEU delegate called on workers to ignore messages from the union’s administrator, while a Greens MP praised protesters for “not listening” to his warnings.

  • David Marin-Guzman

October 2024

CFMEU delegate Luke Allen leaves the Victoria Cross Metro Station site.

CFMEU mass walkouts endorsed at secret construction site meeting

Delegates are holding meetings at NSW government construction sites to vote on industrial action to protest against the union’s administration.

  • David Marin-Guzman
Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has been accusing of walking back a deal to review the small business definition.

Labor accused of backtracking on small business IR review

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt flatly refuses to expand the scope of the Fair Work Act’s definition, “making a mockery” of a Labor crossbench deal.

  • Updated
  • David Marin-Guzman

September 2024

The CFMEU rally in Melbourne.

Labor says CFMEU situation is under control. But look on the streets

The CFMEU rallies are the obvious signs of turmoil behind the scenes as a government-appointed administrator struggles to deal with union threats.

  • Jennifer Hewett

August 2024

Former Tabcorp chief executive Adam Rytenskild leaves the Fair Work Commission with his lawyers on Wednesday.

Former Tabcorp boss alleges bookmaker made a ‘coffin’ for his exit

The company’s chairman, Bruce Akhurst, allegedly gave Adam Rytenskild only hours to decide whether to quit or be fired, the Fair Work Commission heard.

  • Max Mason
Mark Irving represented the Health Services Union at the royal commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption in 2014.

Fair Work names CFMEU administrator, seeks extraordinary powers

The FWC has chosen a senior barrister to administer the union and wants to give him sweeping powers to follow dirty money and sack officials. The CFMEU says it’s taking legal advice.

  • Updated
  • Nick McKenzie, David Marin-Guzman, Ben Schneiders and James Hall
Jacinta Allan’s review of the CFMEU was announced with much gravity. It now appears to be a joke.

Bogus email address shows Jacinta Allan’s CFMEU crackdown is a joke

The Victorian premier’s snap review of alleged criminal activity in the construction industry went 11 days without so much as an email address for whistleblowers to use. Until The Australian Financial Review asked about it.

  • David Marin-Guzman

July 2024

Building Bad, an investigation into Australia’s construction union.

Albanese is responsible for the monster that is the CFMEU

A friendly political environment created by the Labor government allows the lawless union to thrive.

  • Aaron Patrick

Why the construction industry needs its own cop

The ABCC was a highly successful regulator, and its disbandment by the Labor government emboldened the law-breaking construction union.

  • Nigel Hadgkiss
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Albanese digs in amid calls for tougher action against CFMEU

PM says the ABCC failed to curb union militancy when it existed, and that the police were best placed to combat criminal behaviour.

  • Phillip Coorey

CFMEU treats $19m in fines as ‘cost of doing business’

Judges have constantly called out the rogue union while issuing workplace penalties of about $19 million since 2016 – including the latest on Thursday.

  • Updated
  • Michael Pelly and David Marin-Guzman
The CFMEU branch in Victoria, epicentre  of a crisis that has engulfed Australia’s most militant union.

Only a full judicial inquiry can lift the lid on the CFMEU

The scandals at the construction union leave a host of unanswered questions that will shape the future of industrial relations in Australia.

  • Graeme Watson
Workplace Minister Tony Burke addressing the media on Wednesday.

‘Not a threat, it’s very real’: CFMEU retaliation tactics in focus

Victorian firms strong-armed into signing enterprise bargaining agreements say they are too afraid of speaking out against the CFMEU for fear of reprisals.

  • Ronald Mizen
Five former employees in Transurban’s Brisbane office have filed Fair Work claims against the tollroad group.

Transurban beds down new executive team after restructure

An operations manager has left Transurban’s Brisbane office as the toll road group’s new executive management team tries to shake off claims it breached the Fair Work Act.

  • Jenny Wiggins

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/fair-work-ombudsman-5x1