Gold Coast printer in sacking row blames new IR laws

According to the AMWU, the Gold Coast employee was sacked because he wanted to keep working his family-friendly roster The union has indicated it will seek to apply economic pressure on the company which does printing for some unions and the ALP nationally.

According to the union, Leigh Vanroon was sacked late last week after being given an ultimatum over roster changes that were being unilaterally imposed by management at Penfold Buscombe’s Ormea plant. It is also claimed the company was seeking to cut his base pay from $1,160 a week to $1,000.

Vanroon, in agreement with the terms of his AWA, was working 12-hour shifts over three days per week. While he was on annual leave management changed him to 7.5 hour shifts worked over five days, despite his AWA stating that any roster changes can only be made by agreement between the employer and employee.

Vanroon expressed his objections to the change as working five days a week would make it impossible for him to look after his two-year-old son while his partner went to her job. The AMWU claims he was subsequently verbally abused over several days by management before being summarily dismissed on Friday. The union claims management then tried to cover its tracks by couriering to his home later that night a termination notice that purported to make him redundant.

Andrew Dettmer, Queensland secretary of the AMWU, says Vanroon has been treated appallingly, with the union responding by delivering letters of protest to all Penfold Buscombe plants around the country.

“We will be notifying other unions, the ALP and any other users of this printing company and asking them to examine their consciences when it comes to allocating their printing work,” Dettmer says.

“This case also highlights the fact that AWA’s aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. Without any negotiation, this company has unilaterally decided to alter the employment conditions of Mr Vanroon and when he objected he was shown the door.”

At time of publishing, Penfold Buscombe was unavailable for comment. Print21 will endeavour to contact the company for its side of the story. Watch this space.