http://strongerunions.org/
2011/11/01/qantas-a-lesson-in-how-unions-should-hit-back/ Whilst it's necessary to expose the corporation's machinations it isn't the whole story. As in the UK, Australian trade unions operate under restrictive labour laws and what this case highlights is the legislated right of employers to lock out workers!
That is the fundamental problem and Qantas exploited it - bringing the issue to a head and the government acted exactly as they predicted. Side issues around who knew what and when are beside the point.
There are two issues here. The first being the employer right to lock out during bargaining which a Labour Government reintroduced! The second being the ability of a tribunal to terminate employee industrial action when they can only take it in very limited circumstances as it exists now. That is what the ACTU should be talking about.
Instead it is stuck trying to defend the Fair Work Act because it is a Labour creation. Who is supposed to serve who again?
