Restrictions OK
Jurisdiction Employment Relations Authority - Christchurch
Reference No CA 82/02
Hearing date 29 Jul 2002
Determination date 27 August 2002
Member N Taylor
Representation L Highfield ; R Searle
Location Christchurch
Parties Service & Food Workers Union Inc v Sealord Group Ltd
Summary PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE - Investigation meeting approached in med/arb style - Determination viewed by representatives before issued - BARGAINING - Whether respondent breached duty of good faith by communicating directly with applicant's members during collective bargaining - Respondent held meeting with members and communicated its view of wage claim - Possible financial impact discussed - Meeting likely to undermine authority of applicant - Amounted to attempt to bargain with members - Letter to applicant's secretary posted on notice board - Direct criticism of applicant in letter - Criticism in letter amounted to breach of good faith - If a union had not co-operated with reasonable request to pass on information an employer might have been able to communicate directly with members
Result Questions answered in favour of applicant ; Costs to lie where they fall
Statutes Australian Trade Practices Act 1974 s52;ERA s3(a)(i);ERA s3(a)(ii);ERA s4;ERA s5;ERA s20;ERA s32(1)(d)(i);ERA s32(1)(d)(ii);ERA s32(1)(d)(iii);Fair Trading Act 1987 s9
Cases Cited The Airways Corporation of New Zealand Ltd v New Zealand Air Line Pilots' Association IUOW [1996] 1 ERNZ 126 ; [1996] 2 NZLR 622
Number of Pages 8
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