Department of Justice

Tasmanian Industrial Commission

www.tas.gov.au
Contact  |  Accessibility  |  Disclaimer

T850

 

IN THE TASMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION

Industrial Relations Act 1984

 

T. 850 of 1987

IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION BY THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION TO VARY THE GENERAL OFFICERS AWARD

RE: PART-TIME AND CASUAL PROVISIONS

   

COMMISSIONER J.G. KING

HOBART, 5 August 1987

   

REASONS FOR DECISION

   

APPEARANCES:

   

For the Minister for Public Administration

- Mr M. Jarman

   

For the Tasmanian Public Service Association

- Mr J. Geursen

   

DATE AND PLACE OF HEARING:

 

30 July 1987  Hobart

 

The current proviso to D - Part-time and Casual Employees, of Clause 8 - Salaries, of the General Officers Award (the award) reads:

"PROVIDED ALWAYS that a casual employee's terms of engagement shall be by the hour with a minimum payment of three hours for each day worked."

This application by the Minister for Public Administration seeks to add the following:

"... however, where work practices are such that it is considered inappropriate to apply the conditions stipulated by this proviso, such conditions may be varied by agreement between the relevant employee organisation and controlling authority."

There was no objection to the addition to the proviso from the Tasmanian Public Service Association (TPSA).

Mr Jarman spelt out in some detail the reasons for the additional wording. Simply put, it would allow for greater flexibility in the utilisation of allotted hours to Department of Community Welfare employees. This in turn would lead to better use of available funds.

Its practical application would see employees paid for actual hours worked instead of on occasions being paid a minimum of three hours when that time was not required.

The TPSA submitted that it was satisfied that there was sufficient protection in the new wording to satisfy the interests of its members. In any case there would be recourse to this Commission if there was a dispute over its application.

The new wording does not offend the public interest, in fact it could be said that there are very good public interest reasons why the award should be varied as requested.

I compliment the parties on a commonsense application and indicate that the award will be varied effective from the first pay period commencing on or after 5 August 1987.

 

J.G. King
COMMISSIONER