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T216

 

IN THE TASMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION

Industrial Relations Act 1984

 

T.216 of 1985 IN THE MATTER OF an application by the Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees to vary the Electrolytic Zinc Award
   
  RE: Section III, Technical Grades
   
COMMISSIONER A. ROBINSON HOBART, 13 December 1985
   

REASONS FOR INTERIM DECISION

   
APPEARANCES:  
   
For the Electrolytic Zinc
Co. of Australasia Limited
Mr. P. G. Hall with
Mr. E. Szczepanowski
(2 October 1985) and later
Mr. T. J. Edwards with
Mr. R. Murray and
Mr. M. Nally
   
For the Association of
Draughting, Supervisory
and Technical Employees
Mr. P. Baker with
Mr. J. Hickey
   
   
DATE AND PLACE OF HEARING:
   
2 October 1985       Hobart
3 December 1985    Hobart
9 December 1985    Hobart
 
   

A number of separate claims were lodged by the Association of Draughting, Supervisory and Technical Employees to vary Section III of the Electrolytic Zinc Award in relation to wage rates and allowances for classifications covered by the applicant organisation.

Some of those matters were consent matters with an intended operative date of the first pay period to commence on or after 4 November 1985, and made subject to a hearing on 2 October of this year.

Subsequently inspections were carried out at the Risdon plant on 25 November and the hearing, as it related to other matters, resumed on 3 and 9 December.

Two witnesses have been called thus far and others are still to be called, following which both parties will present final submissions.

Because of time constraints, the hearing is now adjourned to a date to be fixed next year.

For a number of reasons, it is appropriate that I issue a decision at this time in relation to the consent matters. Foremost among those reasons, is the fact that the parties seek to make a wage adjustment (both increases and a decrease) coincident with the last National Wage Case increase.

Claim 1.

PART 1 - WAGE RATES

SECTION III - TECHNICAL GRADES

CLAUSE 4 - WAGE RATES

(2) Tester

    By deleting Base Rate and Supplementary Payment and insert in lieu thereof Total Wage Per Week

    TESTER  

    Total Wage
    Per Week
    $

    (i)
    (ii)
    (iii)
    (iv)
    1st Year of Experience
    2nd Year of Experience
    3rd Year of Experience
    Thereafter

    264.50
    272.10
    280.80
    290.50

Currently a supplementary payment of $12.80 (pre-National Wage adjustment) applies to a Tester as an "all-purpose" allowance. The proposal is that the supplementary payment be absorbed into the total wage without further affect.

The reasons given were somewhat scant, being described by Mr. Baker as part of tidying-up the award and later by Mr. Hall as a means of simplifying the award in line with the concept of adopting a total wage.

Decision

No cost is involved nor does the proposed change offend the Principles or public interest criteria.

As a consequence, the variation is approved.

Claim 2.

It is proposed to similarly convert the wage rate of Technical Assistant, Planning Assistant and Detail Draughtsman, who receive a supplementary payment in the first, second and third year of service to a total wage.

It is however proposed to "restructure" the wage.

The proposed changes can best be illustrated thus:

Technical Assistant
Planning Assistant
Detail Draughtsman

Base
Rate

Supplementary
Payment

Total
Wage

Restructured
Wage
         
Year of Experience as such -      
         

    first
    second
    third
    fourth
    Thereafter

266.30
279.50
298.10
317.00
335.30

15.90
20.50
7.90

282.20
300.00
306.00
317.00
335.30

282.20
295.00
303.00
321.00
335.30

It will be seen that the proposed restructuring of the wage scale, if accepted, will result in a decrease of $5.00 per week in the second year of experience rate and a decrease of $3.00 per week in the third year and an increase of $4.00 per week in the fourth year.

The first year and thereafter rates will be unaltered.

Decision

I find no difficulty in accepting the creation of total wage for reasons already given in relation to the Tester classification.

The reasons advanced for the restructuring of the scale go to the fact that distortions were created in the past and it is simply proposed to straighten out those distortions, without altering the commencing salary or the "thereafter" rates.

I was informed that it was not thought any current employee would be affected by the restructuring and the whole exercise is one of tidying-up the award.

The assurances of the parties, as to negative effect, enable me to satisfy myself that neither the Principles or other criteria will be offended. Accordingly, the variation is granted in the terms sought.

Claim 3.

CLAUSE 6 - VDU ALLOWANCE

To insert new Clause 6 - VDU Allowances

"In addition to the rates herein prescribed, Technical Employees working with VDU Equipment shall be paid an allowance of $6.20 per week extra.

Other Technical Employees as agreed with the Association who are required to operate VDU Equipment on a less than full-time basis, shall be paid $1.25 per week extra."

The claim seeks to extend to technical grades the same VDU allowance as is applicable to clerks at Risdon plant. This has been an award provision for some considerable time, and was inserted after being arbitrated upon.

Inspections recently illustrated quite adequately the extent to which VDU equipment is used by technical grades .

Decision

The claim is legitimate and sustainable on all of the proper criteria and is granted in principle.

According to the current award, the figures are however $5.50 and $1.10 (pre-National Wage) and not $6.20 and $1.25 (pre-National Wage) and I am not prepared to exceed the existing quantum of the present prescription.

If it can be established that the award figures are erroneous, leave is reserved for it to be corrected.

Operative Date

As a consent matter, I am prepared to establish an operative date for matters so far decided as the first pay period to commence on or after 4 November 1985. Order and [Correction Order]

 

A. Robinson
DEPUTY PRESIDENT