Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Auckland
Reference No AA 469/05
Hearing date 21 Nov 2005
Determination date 08 December 2005
Member V Campbell
Representation S Mitchell ; P Skelton, K Laird
Location Auckland
Parties O'Donnell and Anor v Ports of Auckland Ltd
Other Parties Power
Summary UNJUSTIFIED DISADVANTAGE - Final written warnings - Refusing to obey lawful and reasonable instruction - Applicants were asked to cover shifts of two ex-employees who had been dismissed for sleeping and drinking during third shift duties in hidden room - Applicants had received warnings about that matter - Applicants initially indicated would be prepared to do shifts but later changed minds and did not do those shifts in place of normal shifts - Following dismissal of ex-employees was reluctance on part of staff to cover ex-employees' old shifts - Respondent had right to require employees to work eight extra" shifts in accordance with collective agreement - Applicants were not being required to "change" shift roster - Nor were they being required to work "extra" shifts - Could only be required to work third shifts if were to form part of "extras" required under agreement - If was intended that shifts form part of "extras" that needed to be made clear - It was not - Fair and reasonable employer would not have issued final written warning in those circumstances - Warnings meant applicants exposed to greater possibility of dismissal for six month period - Remedies - Contributory conduct 50 percent"
Result Application granted ; Compensation for humiliation etc ($5,000 reduced to $2,500) (First applicant) ; ($5,000 reduced to $2,500)(Second applicant) ; Costs reserved
Statutes ERA s103A
Cases Cited Alliance Freezing Co (Southland) Ltd v New Zealand Amalgamated Engineering etc IUOW [1990] 1 NZILR 533;Ports of Auckland Ltd v New Zealand Waterfront Workers Union J Scott, 29 Nov 2002 (AA 346/02)
Number of Pages 5
PDF File Link: aa 469_05.pdf [pdf 25 KB]