Plumbers Face Fresh Legal Assault

MELBOURNE: Eight building companies have decided to step up their legal attacks on the plumbers' union following its failure yesterday to lift bans delaying work on about 50 sites in NSW and Victoria. The companies have decided to press ahead with damages claims against the union tomorrow, an

Plumbers Back Down In Face Of Massive Fines

MELBOURNE: Faced with massive fines which threatened to destroy their organisation, leaders of the Plumbers and Gasfitters Employees' Union agreed yesterday to end their crippling campaign of work bans. The bans were imposed nine months ago in support of a claim for a weekly pay increase o

Unions Call For Fines Campaign

Some of Australia's biggest unions have called on the ACTU to begin a campaign against penal provisions of the Trades Practices Act after huge fines imposed on the plumbers' union. The NSW secretary of the Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen's Association, Mr Ian Peel, said yesterday the u

$280,000 Fine On Rebel Union

A Federal Court judge imposed a massive fine on the plumbers' union yesterday and accused it of putting on a "charade" in an attempt to avoid being fined for contempt of court. Justice Murray Wilcox fined the Plumbers and Gasfitters' Employees Union$280,000 yesterday because of its