Advanced Search

Share Coverage



Category: Fires / Work / Industrial Relations

Alcoa settles pay dispute with volunteer firefighter

Wednesday, 20 Jul 2016 12:31:46

Fire crews were called to help battle the blaze at Lake Clifton in February. (Supplied: Murray Cowper)

Aluminium giant Alcoa has settled a case with an employee who lost part of his pay for failing to attend a shift because he was fighting a fire south of Perth.

Volunteer firefighter Adrian Houldsworth was called out to fight a blaze at Lake Clifton on the morning of February 12.

He was one of only three volunteer firefighters who turned up, although they managed to get on top of the blaze using aerial support.

Mr Houldsworth was rostered to work a shift at the Pinjarra Alumina Refinery that night and called the station controller at 2:30pm to say he would not be able to attend.

He later found he had $1,200 deducted from his Personal Leave Incentive (PLI), which is payable when an employee has not had an "unplanned absence" with less than 24 hours' notice.

Mr Houldsworth lodged the matter with the Fair Work Commission, but the ABC understands the issue has now been settled.

A spokeswoman for Alcoa said the company would not be commenting for confidentiality reasons.

United Firefighters Union WA secretary Lea Anderson said the case was a rare but important one.

"It's not always the case that volunteers are released by their employers, and the union strongly supports employers being good corporate citizens and allowing people to volunteer, because so many of our regional communities rely on volunteer firefighters," she said.

"The Alcoa case ... has really brought to everyone's attention how difficult it is, and what it is you give up to volunteer to protect your communities.

"Many volunteers are self-employed or farmers or working for small businesses, so you can't just drop everything on the fire ground and pick up the phone and let people know what's going on."

Ms Anderson said big companies and employers were sometimes removed from the needs of the communities.

"I don't know that they understand that being a volunteer firefighter is as difficult and time-consuming as it can be," she said.

"Many of the other unions will be looking at clauses in their industrial agreements that make it easier for people to volunteer and to provide the sort of notice that employers may require."

AustraliaPlus


 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend