Maurice Blackburn changes striking staff’s ‘out-of-office’ emails

According to Maurice Blackburn employees engaged in today’s (6 March) industrial action, the national plaintiff law firm adapted their out-of-office automated emails to remove any reference to industrial action currently underway or the ongoing bargaining disputes.

OOO changes

Today’s industrial action undertaken by unionised staff over pay disputes and paid reproductive leave has yet again escalated, with staff alleging that Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is removing any reference to the industrial action from their “out-of-office” (OOO) emails.

Workers who have engaged in the industrial action today set up OOO automated emails, alerting clients to their absence.

Included in these emails were references to the industrial action taken today – noting that Maurice Blackburn “refused to accept any work from lawyers engaging in the [recording ban] on 6 March 2025. I have been directed to not perform any work today.”

In a screenshot posted to LinkedIn, it was alleged that the law firm adapted lawyers’ automated emails, which referenced the action and collective bargaining – completely removing such references.

According to the screenshot shared on LinkedIn, the updated OOO reads: “Thank you for your email, which will be reviewed by a member of our team.”

“If your enquiry concerns an urgent matter with a deadline or Court listing occurring on Thursday, 6 March 2025, please call [contact number].”

“If your enquiry is not urgent, we will respond to your email as soon as possible. Kind regards.”

HR Leader reached out to a spokesperson for Maurice Blackburn, who said: “We’ve created a standard out-of-office email – so clients of lawyers who’ve engaged in work bans know how to get advice today if they need it.”

The firm has already been criticised by the union and its members over its purported “hypocrisy” relating to paid reproductive leave. This latest development only further sows the seeds of division between union members and the firm as the situation continues to develop.

Background

On 28 February, the Australian Services Union (ASU) notified national plaintiff law firm Maurice Blackburn that lawyers and other staff members would engage in protected industrial action related to negotiations over a new enterprise agreement on 6 March, via a one-day ban on time recording.

The law firm, however, confirmed it would refuse to accept any work from lawyers engaging in the ban on that day as it fits under the “partial work ban” listed in the Fair Work Act.

A Maurice Blackburn Lawyers spokesperson established that employees would not be “locked out” – stating it is “operating under the Fair Work Act.”

ASU national secretary Emeline Gaske noted that despite Maurice Blackburn’s “legal threats and aggressive tactics”, union members would not be deterred from partaking in the action.

“ASU members will not be intimidated by legal tactics. Our members will be pressing ahead with the ban on time recording because workers at Maurice Blackburn deserve a better deal,” Gaske said.