Coles

A Federal Court judge has pulled the plug on a bid by the Fair Work Ombudsman for an upcoming trial in wage cases against supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths to be livestreamed like other hearings of public interest in the court.

A law firm running underpayments class actions against Coles and Woolworths has sought orders forcing them to hand over contact details for key workers in the Fair Work Ombudsman’s parallel cases, which the supermarket giants lashed as likely to “cause chaos” in the proceedings.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has taken supermarket giant Coles to court for allegedly underpaying more than 7,800 staff members $115 million over three years.

A judge has refused to extend the date by which Coles workers can register to join an employment class action against the supermarket giant as part of a class closure order, saying the amendment would force a hearing on his power to make the order.

A landmark judgment by the Full Federal Court has found that a full bench of the Fair Work Commission "misconstrued" its own authority to make general protections findings about the dismissal of employees.

Two leading independent supermarket groups are the latest retail giants to face possible class actions for alleged wage underpayments, in the wake of class actions lobbed against Woolworths and Coles.

Supermarket giant Coles has been hit with a class action after revealing in February that it owes staff in its supermarket and liquor businesses at least $20 million in pay.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has approved Coles' planned acquisition of chilled meals supplier Jewel, saying the sale was better for competition than the liquidation of Jewel's assets.

Supermarket giant Coles may be hit with a class action after it was revealed on Tuesday that the company owes staff in its supermarket and liquor businesses at least $20 million in pay.

Coles underpaid salaried staff members in its supermarket and liquor businesses at least $20 million over the past six years, the company revealed in announcing its half-yearly results.