TASMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION

Industrial Relations Act 1984
s.29 application for hearing of an industrial dispute

Minister Administering the Tasmanian State Service Act 1984
(T.2933 of 1991)

and

The Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union

Australasian Society of Engineers
Tasmanian Branch

Imposition of Bans

REASONS FOR DECISION

This application was made on 31 January 1991 by the Minister Administering the Tasmanian State Service Act 1984 pursuant to Section 29 (1) of the Industrial Relations Act 1984 in the following terms:

"Members of the AMWU employed at the Moonah Depot of the Department of Construction have imposed bans on the repairs to the moveable median strip on the Tasman Bridge. The dispute concerns a disparity of wages between AMWU employees and two ASE employees."

After hearing submissions from the parties on 5 February 1991 I adjourned the hearing to enable the parties to have further discussions . I also made a recommendation that the bans be lifted to enable those discussions to be finalised. I was informed at a later time that members of the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union at the Department of Construction rejected the recommendation and the hearing reconvened on 25 February 1991.

During the course of submissions on that day Mr Pearce, representing the Minister Administering the Tasmanian State Service Act 1984, stated that the problem which gave rise to this application could be eliminated during the award restructuring process. I also indicated to Mr Harding that a Full Bench of this Commission had made a decision on 22 February 1991 setting down a timetable in respect to the determination of structural efficiency matters and that decision should be considered by his members.

With that a further recommendation was made that the bans be lifted . On 28 February 1991 the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union informed the employer that the members at the Department of Construction, Moonah, had lifted bans on the repair of the Tasman Bridge divider strip.

That being the case I see no useful purpose in leaving the application open given the decision of the employees to lift the bans.

This matter is now closed.

R J Watling
COMMISSIONER

Appearances:
Mr D (Tom) Harding for the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union.
Mr J McCabe and Mr A Pearce with Mr P Roach and Mr N Clarke for the Minister Administering the Tasmanian State Service Act 1984.

Date and Place of Hearings:
1991
February 5
February 25
Hobart