The Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment will not say on what legal basis it is considering selectively limiting back pay for firefighters to six years, following a decision of the Fair Work Commission that firies should be paid more than just the hours they were owed, as part of an ongoing underpayment policy that dates back to 1988.
In handing down his judgement on March 21, in the matter of Manny Koulakis vs the NT Commissioner for Public Employment, Fair Work Commissioner Bernie Riordan found the deduction of a portion of NT firefighters’ time-in-lieu hours accrued as part of compulsory overtime from their annual recreation leave, was contrary to the original 2017-2021 agreement signed with the NT Government, suggesting the practice of wiping their banked hours if not used within a year bordered on wage theft.
Good to know the NTG ALP & Unions have failed to fight for workers rights demonstrating they are part of the gas lobbyist industry and friends with the CCP. Darwin is in a spiritual crises, a fight for good verse evil, which is worse than right verse wrong in the 2024 NTG Election. Congrats to Lucio for advocating for NTG non-executive employees.
“We are a Employer of Choice” says NTG recruitment marketing, they should add ” until we see angle to bend you over on”
This issue, that ironically a Labour Government is mishandling, just before a election , solidifies how far away from Labour’s core values that rabble of teachers and union reps calling themselves Ministers really are.
I can only hope Territorians send a message in 39 days time.