CODE RED: PETTY CASH, MEAL AND REFRESHMENT ALLOWANCE DISPUTE – OUT-DUTIES BANNED FROM 1800 HRS
As a result of the Department’s continued refusal to abide by the clear provisions of our Awards (subclauses 10.3.1 and 10.4.1 of the Permanent Award, and subclause 8.3.1 of the Retained Award) governing the payment of meal and refreshment allowances, it’s refusal to reimburse petty cash floats at stations and the regrettable fact that the processes required by the Industrial Relations Act to prosecute these breaches and to enforce the Awards are so delayed and protracted that they cannot be expected to restore members’ lawful entitlements for several months, the Union’s State Committee has resolved to issue the following instructions.
Members are hereby instructed that effective on and from 1800 hours today, Friday 4 May:
no permanent member is to perform any stand-bys or out-duties. Members are to return to and remain at their own station, save for GSA-based members who are currently relieving out of the GSA, who should remain at their present location; and
the latitude that the Union has until now advised members to allow to management on account of “reasonableness” whereby members were encouraged to not submit claims for meal and/or refreshment allowances in instances where the meals were only 10 or 15 minutes late and/or it was obvious that management had tried its best to provide the meals beforehand is withdrawn, and members are therefore to strictly observe the Award by submitting a claim on each and every occasion that a meal and/or refreshment (as the case may be) is not provided within the required time frame.
This instruction is to remain in place until further notice from the State Secretary.For clarification regarding the operation of these out-duty bans, members are advised that:
1) Members on out-duties are to return to their own stations immediately unless members of the off going shift have already been dismissed and left the station, in which case an out-duty may remain until relieved by a member on recall. In any event, all members on out-duty are to leave for their own stations by 2200 hrs.
2) In the event that the Department fails or refuses to recall off-duty members in order to maintain safe minimum staffing levels, then the appliance in question is to be taken offline until such time as minimum staffing levels are restored. A Union official is to be notified immediately.
3) GSA-based members who are already performing or who are already in transit to perform country relief at the time of the notification of these bans are to remain or proceed to that station until the bans are lifted or they are notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.
4) GSA-based members who are not yet in transit to perform country relief at the time of the notification of these bans are to remain at their station until the bans are lifted or they are notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.
5) Operational Support members, including members seconded to those positions on a temporary basis, are to remain in place unless they are notified otherwise by way of a further Union notice.
