Shame file

Mine worker

Two legal avenues are being pursued after mine worker Lorissa Stevens was allegedly terminated by employer MES, a mining industry contractor on June 9.

CFMEU Mining and Energy Division industrial research officer Keenon Endacott said a case alleging duress over the offering of an Australian Workplace Agreement was before the Federal Court, with the next report back in September, and an unlawful dismissal case was being conciliated in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

Individual workers prosecuted

The Australian Building and Construction Commission has begun to take legal action against individual workers.

107 Perth to Mandurah railway construction workers have been served with summonses for allegedly breaching the Workplace Relations Act and taking "unlawful industrial action" by taking strike action in February when their union delegate was sacked.

CFMEU Western Australia secretary Kevin Reynolds said this was the first time individual workers have been pursued for taking industrial action. They face penalties of up to $28,000.

The workers are due to make an appearance in the Federal Court in Perth on August 29.

The CFMEU has set up a fighting fund. Donations can be made into CFMEU Mandurah Dispute Fighting Fund at the Commonwealth Bank, BSB 062 018, account 101 859 992.

Lufthansa

Eighty call centre staff working for a Lufthansa subsidiary have been offered Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) that reduce wages and conditions.

Australian Services Union Victorian private sector branch secretary Ingrid Stitt said that despite the current collective agreement not due to run out until December, in June wholly owned Lufthansa subsidiary Global Tele Sales offered its call centre staff AWAs that would cut base wages by 3-10 per cent depending on their classification; and completely cut out night penalty rates and reduce Sunday penalties, equivalent to a further 4.9 per cent cut in take home pay.

Ms Stitt said the bonus scheme offered as part of the AWA penalised people if they took sick or carers leave and that the ASU's legal advice was that this was discriminatory. The ASU has referred the matter to the Workplace Rights Advocate in Victoria, asking for all aspects of the AWA to be investigated.

The ASU is conducting an email campaign. Emails can be sent to Global Tele Sales managing director Thomas Bartsch from www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c=133.

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Last Modified: 03 Aug 2006