The Australian Services Union has welcomed a decision by the Fair Work Commission to reinstate a long-serving council worker who was sacked from Wyndham City Council six months ago.
In a significant victory, the Fair Work Commission (FWC) has ordered Wyndham Council to reinstate ASU member Phil Leyshan who was unfairly dismissed in February, and to pay him for the period between his dismissal and return to work.
ASU Branch Secretary Brian Parkinson said that the decision is timely news for a worker who has been well respected during his 25-year association at the council.
“His colleagues cannot wait to welcome Phil back to the workplace, and it is only fair that council have been ordered to repay any income he would have earned since he was unfairly sacked in February.”
“We call on the council to dismiss CEO Kerry Thompson immediately for her appalling lack of judgement and failure to do her job properly through the authorisation of ratepayers’ money spent on spies, expensive reports, lawyers and resources – including those of senior management over a six-month period – to try and sack people like Phil on the back of baseless accusations.
“When you total up the time, money and resources council have spent, we can’t see how they haven’t just wasted over half a million dollars. Councillors need to be asking serious questions of the CEO for the sake of employees at Wyndham and the ratepayers within the municipality.
“Staff morale has already suffered significantly throughout this ordeal, and council already has form with underhanded tactics after coming under fire for spying on residents and seizing personal information more than 30 times over a two-year period. These tactics have also been questioned from the Australian Privacy foundation, and FWC’s recent decision is another damning indictment on a council that needs to take stock of its processes.
“It beggars belief that the CEO and senior management spent a vast amount of money, time and resources on setting the stage to sack our member without bothering to read his own personal response to the allegations.”
Wyndham Mayor Heather Marcus said: “The Mayor and councillors fully support the CEO and Directors in their handling of the Fair Work industrial matter.
“We have full confidence in the CEO and Directors in all matters, including the direction they are taking our organisation in managing our challenges and in building a positive working culture here at Wyndham City.”
