NEWS-HR

St John of God Health Care is facing an s.739 (application to deal with a dispute) lodged by the Health Services Union in Melbourne.

The Department of Human Services is dealing with an s.372 (application to deal with other contravention disputes) lodged by a disaffected ex-staffer (Maude).

Minda Incorporated has lodged an s.739 (application to deal with a dispute) with the Fair Work Commission. The United Voice union dispute will be heard by Commissioner Cambridge.

Proposed changes to introduce portable long service leave entitlements for employees in the aged care industry are taking too long, according to their union. After more than three years, the ACT Government is still to deliver. The union said it met with the Government in March this year to discuss the required legislation.

Chris Cresswell has been called to a disciplinary meeting for expressing his TPPA views at a protest last week. A professional group says the Health Board needs to “pull its head in” after summoning a senior hospital doctor to a disciplinary meeting because of his views on the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement.

Labor has intensified pressure over the tenure of Fair Work vice-president Michael Lawler, the partner of disgraced HSU unionist Kathy Jackson, calling for his removal on the grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity. In a letter to Malcolm Turnbull, Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor cited allegations over Mr Lawler’s conduct, saying it led to serious concerns about public confidence.

Convicted fraudster Michael Williamson has lost his appeal to have his jail sentence reduced. The former head of the Health Services Union and one-time national president of the ALP, is serving a minimum of five years for ripping off the HSU and trying to hinder the police investigation. Williamson had argued that the trial judge had erred in “overstating the seriousness of the offence” and that he had not taken into account his mental health condition.

Uniting Church in Australia Property Trust (Q) is in dispute with two unions in Queensland (United Voice/ AWU).