TI1INIDAD AND TOnA<;O T M D E DISPUTE NO. 154 OP 2004

M TIIE INDUSTRIAI~ COURT S M 1tERNANDO

RANKING, INSUIIANCE AND GENERAL WORKEIIS UNION -Party NO. I

ANTU,LKS CItCDlT UNION CO-OPEIIATIVE SOCI IWY LJhlITED -Party NO. 2

His Hotlour Mr. Addlson M. 1Ulr11 - Prcsidcut 11~1. Holiour Mrs. Acnthet. Scnlc - Mo~~ibc r

MI'. D. Dcvc~iisll ) Assisla~~l Oc~~eral Secrclaly ) for Party No. I I I I~ I IS~I . IAI Rolntio~ts )

Mrs. N. MaynnrcI Marsllnll ) Mr. D. Rntilbaliy Allomcys at IR\V

1 ) for Party No. 2

DATED : Jurtc 30. 2005

Tliis Trntlc Disputc betwecn 1110 Bankh~g l~isulatico alltl Gellerrl Workers Union, ("llic

Utlio~~") n t ~ t l l l~c /\l~tillcs Elnployecs C:retlit Illlion Co-opcrnlivc Society I,ill~iletl ("lllc

1!111plopcr" or "lltc Crctlil IJnioll") col~ccrt)~ t l~c I c~ t l~ i l~a t io~~ of 1I1e services, by lcllcrs,

cncl~ tl~tctl Fcbl-~~i~ry 13, 2004, of blcnoti~ Wootls i111d Synlrn Ri~tlgc Cool~iar ("tl~c

workers").

HACICOIIOUND

' 1 '11~ Ut~io~t is 1110 reco~:~tisetl ~l~iljorily 1111iot1 for lltc I I I ~ I I I I I I Y i~ t ic l forl~~igl~lly ri~tctl tvorkcrs

of Il~c Cirdil Ul~ior~, cxciutlit~g Ihc cnlcgories of Mnt~ngct./l'rustcc, Senior

Ilccog~~itiolt No. 2 of 2002 tlaletl April 29, 2002. '1'11cre \itere i11i1-lccn workers ill t l~e

bilrgnini~~g ultil at Pebntary 1, 2000, l l ~ c rclcvnlit tlatc. 'l'lm ll~iion co~~ lc t~ds that i l~c two

lii~ll)loyer. Moreover, ill the course of t~cgotiirtiot~s for Ihc firs1 collcclivc itgrcelticlll, llte

pnrlics sigl~ed i~ Memon~~~durn of Ag~tclncnl in Mny 2003, wl~icl~ i ~ ~ c l ~ ~ d c t l the followi~~g

"l'l~e 13nrgai11i11g Ul~il sllnll co~~sist oI' all workcrs i ~ s spccifietl i l l (%I-tificnlc No. 2/2002 issuetl by l l~c Registrolio~~, llecog~~ilion i ~ ~ t c l Certificnlion I3oartl.'

I3y Icllct. tlalctl AII~IISI 25, 2003, l l~c i111io11 wmlc lo lltc R1111)loycr seeking a lislit~g o f l l ~ e

nio111)crs of ille bargnir~ing uoil, wl~ich it snys was no1 ack~towleclgctl by t l~o I;n~ployer,

IIVS \\,;IS t l~c i~lforrnntion providctl.

'l'l~c \vorkcrs were repl~esctttnlives of tlte ~ J I I ~ ~ I I ' s ncgotintil~g tcc~tll al t l~e titnc of tlic

tert~>i~~nlior~ of ll~cir scrviccs. A t t l ~ n l tilnc also IIle i~cgolinlio~~s 11i1d l)n)grcssctl to the

slagc wl~crc IIIC l)nrlics were before lllc Mil~islcr of l,nbo~~r Slnnll i l l ~ t l Micro I ? I I ~ c I ~ ) ~ ~ s ( :

Dcvclr?l~~llcnl. A I lllc l i ~ l i c o f lllcsc proccctlittgs llley were it1 c o ~ ~ c i l i c ~ l i o ~ ~ ~ , t ~ ~ a ~ l n n l lo Il lg

I~itluslrinl Ilclt~liolis Acl&ig1I&88:RJ, ("lhe ~ c t " ) ' in rcspect o f ll ic siiitl firs1 collcclivc , ~~~

ngrceenlcnl.

'lTII$ \ ~ ' l ~ I ' l l ' l ~ N I!311J)iCNC:IC AND A l ~ G I J ~ l ~ N ' l ' S

130111 pn~ties p~'csc~lletl w~ i l l cn Rvidc~ico n ~ l d I~IIIIICIIS p u ~ s ~ ~ n ~ i l to lllc Couit's

tlircclior~s. 'I'ltc Cot111 also tlircctetl illn( closillg s~lb~i>issiolls be ~lint lc ill w ~ i t i ~ ~ g autl 110111

~,n~lics cotilplictl. 'I'l~c l!nlploycr wcts ortlcrctl lo 1)rovitle IIic 'Rclunl o f l i ~ n o l u ~ t ~ c ~ i t s I'nid

n~l t l I'AYL! Ilcdttcletl' ("'I'D 4 slil)s") for boll) ollployecs fi)r llle tlurotio~i o f iltcic.

c ~ ~ ~ l ) l o y ~ ~ i o ~ l willt l l ~ c Credit Unioo, c c ~ l n i ~ l of wl l ic l~ were evci l l~~nl ly supl1lietl t ~ ~ l d e r

co\fcr of a lcllcr dnlcd J111ic 13, 2005.

'I'IIE I1NI)ISPU'I'ED FACTS

'I'llc i?~nploycr subr~~il lct l rccortls o f c ~ i ~ l ) l o y ~ ~ ~ c ~ t l fijr I~oIIt workcrs w l ~ i c l ~ were geric~~nlly

ncccl~tctl by l l ~ c iJltio11. ' l l ~ c rccords sliowed IIIIII Ms. Icndgc Coomnr wns firs1 c~llployed

lion1 Oclobcr 3, I983 ill n lcnlpornry cal)ncily iillfil slit \vi~s g ivc~ i n ~)CI~IIOII~I~I

al1l)oirllnleril ns il i lc l ie f Clcrk !with rcl~oaclive cfrccl lo April 1984. Slic licltl illnl posilion

until Julie 30, I989 ~IIOII she rcsig11cd Lo tnkc up a11 nppoittl~ncnl ill tho 1.3 llrcs

Consutner Co-ol)crnlivc Socicly, n lolnlctl olge1lisnlio11. Roll, Aug~tsl 1, 1995 l o July 4,

1908, slic llcltl n n t~~nl ler o f tcllll1ornry upl)oi~tlme~~ls initinly o f eigltl-week tl~~rciliorl ctntl

two, cncll trvclvc wccks long. Wllilc Iloltlitlg lllc Iiisl sltcll nl)l,oi~tl~nei~I which wns tluc to

end on July 4, 1998, she was offerc(1 c i one yetir contmcl rcllanctivc lo Mnrcli 1, 1998.

Pollowi~tg Ills1 conlroct ll lc workcr was given l l~rcc stll~scqucnt co~itrncts one Tor one year

rind two for pcriotls o f two yenrs, the Inst or which entletl 011 1:cbronl.y 28, 2004. 'l'he

~)ositiorr shc llcltl during t l ~ c lirsl two cor~llrcls wirs 'Ser~ior I(ecovcrics Clcrk' \vllilc ill

llrc lallcr two, lire job lit lo wns 'Kecovel*ies Cle~k' . I lcr linal snl~rrp was $2,600.00 pel.

I~IOIIIII. 'fl ic 'I'D 4 sIi1)s j)rovitlctl sllowetl 111al she was c1nl)loyetl for ~lincleeli (19) weeks

i r k 1995, folly-cighl (48) wccks i n 1998 itr~d for (he ycltrs 1997 ilrld I999 to 2001 she \VIIS

ernployctl for llic wllolc year I'or each o f i l~osc ycnrs. Allogcllcllrer', her scr vice ~tr~~o~rrr tc( l lo

Illore i l t i ~ r i eiglit years fio111 Atrgltsl 1995 lo Pcbnrnry, 2004.

Mla. \Voo(ls was tirst crnl)loyctl ns n Clcrk oa o tcrn))or;ny Basis l iam Se~)lcrillrw 24,

1990. Sllc ltcltl a nunlber o f lcllll)orary i t lq )o i~ l l~ l~c~i ls fiorii Iret. cotiinier~ce~ncnl dnlc lo

Oclober 1996, all ol' eilllcr To~lr or eiglil weeks tlilrnliorl. L)urit~g a pcriotl o f teli1pornr.y

cml)loyri~cr~I i r i Octobcr 1996, Mrs. Woods was offcrctl c~r~l) loyt l~cr l I or) corilrrlcl liw II

pcriotl oforic ycitr rclronclivc: lo J~r ly 1, 1996. Sllc tvits givcr~ two ntltliliorial corllrncts o11c

h r ~ July I, 1998 for n pcriotl o f ollc ycor nrltl lllc ollicr liwn Mnl.clr 1, 2002 for Iwo

ycilm. 'fl ic pnt.lics ngleetl lllirt h m 1996 to 2004, M s \Vootls wns ill corllinuoi~s

crn~) loyr~~e!~t wilh l l lc Crctlit Il l l ion, nlll~ough tllc crnl)loycr isstlet1 IIlc workcr~ IIO wrillcri

leltcrslcorilrncls of ernl)loymc~tl, ill rcsl)ecl o f ce11ni11 or lllosc periods. 'l'llc '1'D r l slips

~)rovitlctl for Ilcr rc\~crrlctl llial sllc workcd corllirluo~rsly li.0111 1997 lo her icrrnit~nlio~l.

I'riov to lllilt shc workctl for ll lc whole o f 1110 years I092 nntl 1993 n ~ ~ t l For (illy (SO)

wccks ill 1994, filly-orlc (51) wccks i n 1995 nrld forty-six (46) \vecks i r i 1996.

Allogelller, Mrs. Wootls l l i l t l over lwclvc ycz~a' scrvicc.

At the Iilne ll icir ser\~iccs wcrc leni~ir i i~letl boll^ workers were 011 lwo year cor~l,acls w l~ ich

csl)iwtl 011 1:ebrtrary 28, 2004. 'I'llc lcri i~s o f Ms. Rntlgc Cooinar's cor~llact nrc scl 0111

I,elo\v:

A Co~ilrncl of 1?111ploy111cnl is ltcreby offerecl lo yoti for 11 periocl o f iwvo (2) years corn~ttcitci~ig 1" h'Inl.cl1, 2002 willt 1110 A~tlil les Ei~tl)loyccs' Ciedil Ultiolt \~c8sigcty Villa~,o, 1.8 llrcn t~~ ider tlre rollowi~tg icrttts ;III~

co~irlitioiis:-

I. Yo11 wil l be itaid n ~ttottllily snlary o f I'IVO ' I ' l ~ ~ i ~ ~ n i t c l ltlvc I11111tlrcrl Uallilrs ($2,500.00), wlticll will be s~~b.iccl lo rcvie$v 111 lltc clal o f enclt yenr o f llto cor~lrnclcd ycrie(l.

2. Yo11 wil l bo rcspo~~sible hr:- n, Ic lc~~l i fy i~tg nlttl rccofiliit& dcli~tclttc~~l IICCOIIII~S in l l ~ e Crcdil

Uoiot~; b. You wil l bc cxpcclcd lo ltolify nltd rcari~td c lc l i~a~t~c~t ls o f lltcir

sillraliou, nltd llto Creclil Ultion's policy i t1 clcnling wilb tlio tttnltcr;

c. You olny 11c rcqt~ircd lo collccl IIIOII~W UII bclinlf o f tltc Occlil I J i~ io~ t from l i~t tu lo i t t c os direclecl by tltc Assislattt Mti~ugcrlh.ln~ritgcr;

d Al l ittoi~ics collcclc<l littlsl he dcl)osilerl lo tltc Cnslticr \\*illtilt

Iwvcrily-four (2411rs.) of receipt; c You nrc rcpiiccd lo pay visils lo clcli~tqticnls ns IIIII~ IICCOIIIC

~teccssn~y; f Yott arc rcqttirecl lo linlsc \villi thu Ccr.opomlivc Depnrflt~cltt

on all lltsllers clenliitg witli cicliaq~~c~tcy as iitny beco~t~c Itcccssnry.

3. Yo11 nrc la rc])reselll 1110 Crcclil Ultiolt nl vnriotis rttecli~tgs n~ td olltcr vcllctlrcs ns ttlny Ire rcc~tiestcd by Ilte Assislnnl Mattt~gerlMa~rngcr fiolll lilnc lo lint&.

I To stlbittil ~tto~tl l t ly 1,cporls and ollicr spccinl reltorls ns inhy be mqltcslccl by Ilto Assislnlrl Mn~~ngeriivls~rnger lhlil lilitc lo lilitc.

5. You tttny be enllccl II~OII lo perfon11 Spccinl A s s i g ~ ~ ~ i t c ~ t ~ s fro111 tiltto lo linto.

6. Slnttdnrd Ittn~rs o f woik wil l nlrply rrws 9:UO ~I.III, /<I 5:OO 1).11r.. ,\4011(/n)0 to I:v;(/(IJ~ ill ~ICCUV~~~IIIC~? 114111 C/(IIISL! 11.7 if /Ire Credit IJ1lin11 '.r I:i~~])lo)a~~o~t I'olicy. lloc$'cvcr yo11 may bc cnllal ttpolt lo ~terforttt before lltc ~torntnl c o ~ t t ~ ~ s ~ t c e ~ ~ t e ~ t l lilsc nncr tltc Icnttii~oliot~ l i n ~ c or ott olltcr sllcll (lnys 11s lnay ~CCOIIIC IICC~SSBI~.

I'or sttcl~ nrraitgcnleltls yo11 wil l l)o ~o~t~pc~tsnlccl neconliitgly its o~illiltetl in tltc Erttploy~~tc~tl I'olicy o f lltc Creclit Union.

7. Uariag llrc ltcriotl o f tllc coiilrael yoti tvill bc e~tlitled lo 1110 be~telils or our hqedicnl I'lnn as ol)laila for ollter !vorkcrs ol' tlic Credit IJrtio~t.

R. Mn~tngc:ce~cnl i\esenpcs lltc rig111 lo ndd aclclitio~tnl I)c~telils lo you 1101 c o ~ ~ l a i ~ v d ill 1116 coltlracl ns il sees I?!.

9. You wil l be c~tlil led lo 111,ao (3) t t~eks \,~cnIi(~!t. 10. Yo11 wi l l bo ci~l i l lcd lo a ntnxi~tto~a o f Iwc~~ lyc igh I (28) dnys sick

lcavo. On Ireco~ni~ig.sick yo11 nrc required lo i i ~~ i~~c t l i n f c l y coltlncl IIIC onice i i t f o ~ ~ t t i ~ ~ g o f yotir siltvalion. Slio~lld lltc ill~tess oxeced otlc (I) day, n ittcdicnl ccrlilicntc sltotild be s~~bittillccl willtin l\vo (2) dnys.

I I. Yo11 wil l bc clili!lcd lo live (S).bt~si~tess cloys lcnvc o f nbscitca os Ihc nced nriscs.

12. r\~ltillcs Il~nployccs Crcclit Ulcinll \\,ill pny n tlavcl grnlct of 011o 'I'IIOIISRII~I llollats (S IOW.00) encll ycnr d ~ ~ r i ~ c g llcc conlrncl.

13. Il~crillg 1110 pcriocl of your colltrnct yocl will be cxl~cclccl to wonk ill

lllo bcsl i~~lcresl of A~~l i l l o s lh~~ployccs' (:redit Ulcio~~. Yo11 will r~l~lcold n l r l dcfclcd tho policics cll~der wlcicl~ lllc Credit Ut~ioci is opcrnled, nllcl tvork in accortlnacc II~crclo.

14, 'nis colllrncl illny bo tcrmi~~nlccf nI n~cyl i~~cc by citlccr ~ n i l y givillg to the oll~cr, oso ~nolclll's clotice ill writing or by A~~fillcs (:redit lJ11io11 wil l~o~~t ttolicc I I ~ ~ I I 1110 pny111cnt of oi~c ~nontlc's snln~y ill lieu oCi~olicc."

'I'lre cot~lrncl was sig~rcd on April 18, 2002 by Mr. G ~ ~ d e l o u p e on behttlf of tllc Crctlil

IJtliol~, by tlrc worker nt~tl wilt~cssctl by Ms. At111 'f'itllc f ir flrc Sccrelnry o f f l ~ e Cl'ettil

Tile cotilrnct offcrctl lo Mrs. Wootls which wns nlso sig~letl by her otr Al)t,il 18, 2002,

co~~l t r i t~a l si~r~ilnr clnt~scs relntit~g lo lrorlrs of work, leave provisiot~s, irnvcl gr.n~rt,

irdtliliorti~l benefits lo be ntlrlcd by Mtrllngc~rrelrl, nt~tl llrc cotrtlitic?~~~ for tcn~~itrnliotr o f thc

COII~I.RCI. I-iowcvcr, she wns crt~l)loycd as n Specinl Assigt~lnc~rts Clerk at n ~r~or~tlr ly scrlitry

of l\vo flrousntrtl four lrutrtiletl attd lilly tlollnrs ($2,450.00) nlttl IY~IS c~~fitlctl lo

I~~dctnt~i ly Plan. S l ~ e wns rcc111irccf lo 11crfolm tlulies sl)ecii~lly nssigclctl to her fiitn Iitlrc lo

lirrrc ill i~cltlilio~t lo ~vor'ki~rg irl corljt~t~clion wilh tllc Etlucntiot~ Co~r~tnillec it1 the l ) l i l t~ t~ i t~g

iltttl co-oldit~nli~~g of l)rogr;rtomes for tI1c bct~cfil of lllc gclrcrnl ~net~~bessl~il) . Like Ms.

IZndj;c Cootllar slrc was ~~ctl\tirctl lo s t~b~ni l orotrthly rcporls irntl ollrcr sl)cciitl relmtts ns

rcqttcsletl l)y the Assislntrt Mat~ogcdMn~~nger nntl lo rnprc.cllt llre Cretlil llrliol~ at

'Il~cir lellcrs of tco~rinirtiot~ were sitllilar i r ~ ~ d tlil'fercd only in respect of llreir rlitmcs,

~,osiliotls llelrl illld q11n~l11trr of lerlllitlitl be~iclils. 'I'[Ic co111~11ts of tire ictlcr lo Ms. I<ntlgc

(:oo~nnr nrc rc~)rntluced 11erct111tlcr:-

I'lcnsc be i l l fo~~l iecl t l lnl your corllacl ns II llccovorics Clerk w l l i c l~ t e r ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ s t c s OII 28Ih hbr~nlar~ 2004 wil l 1101 be rcncwcd.

\Vo arc nl prcsc~rl corld~lctiltg 011 l ~ ~ s t i l ~ ~ l i o ~ ~ a l r\t~dic nllcl ~e-orgn~~isi~l io~~ of 1110 ol)crntio~~s. Slro~lld lherc bc nny vncancies ill tile filtllrc w l r i c l~ colnnrctlsrlmlcs (sic) wit11 your q~mlilicatio~~s nl~iVur cxxpcric~~cc you will bc col~sidcred.

A l l tllc bast for IBo fi~ltlrc.

W l ~ i l e Ms. Ratlgc C!norlln rcccivctl Ihc sl1111 o f Nit ic Il~ottsntitl one l~ur id l r t l d01Iii1.s

($9,100.00) Mrs. Wootls reccivctl lwclvc i l ro i~sn~~t l , scvell I l t ~ ~ ~ t l r ~ i I i t ~ l ( l t iny tlollnrs

($1 2,750.00).

'I'IIE I M C T S IN 1)ISI'U'I'IC

'I'hc mirjor nrcns 01' conlct~l iot~ were IIlc ctr lploy~ne~ll slnttts o f (lie wotkcrs tluritig l l lcir

c~i)l)loymcr~t, the ctllploycr's rcnsoli for 1101 c'ct lcwin~ tllc workers' co~ l l f i~c ls ntltl the

correct qualltn o f tcmin i l l paytiteltls payable l o l l lc workcrs.

'1'111C IJNXON'S CASIG

'1.110 i l l i iolt 's innin co~l lc t~ l ions as set oul it1 its evitlctlcc and n~.g~rt i~ct~ls \vcre l11nl:-

I. IIIC tlcscril)liot~ o f l l lc workers ns 'col~lrnct workers' is mislcntlir~g sitlcc Ihcy l i i ~ve

bccn rcgulnsly ant1 c o t ~ t i ~ ~ ~ ~ o u s l y cr~ll)loyctl for illlnicrolts years n ~ ~ d wcrc h l l y

iillcgrnlctl i l l lo t l ~ c workforce;

2, l l lc workers were o t ~ lixctl tcnn cootrncls wllich is cluiie cotlltlton ill fot~ncrly non-

t~nionisctl cslnblishmcn~s;

3. tllc workcrs fcll w i t l ~ i ~ l tllc tncan i~~g o f 'worker' ns t lcf i~lct l ill the Act nr~ t l posscssetl

l l ~ c righls o f workcrs ~rntlcr l l ~ c Act:

4. onc o f ihc t11osl t l ist i~lcl ive iighls o f n worker is the right l o protcctiot~ ngninsl ttnfiiir

tlist~lissitl 'by la\!, ntld 1)rnclice';

5, i t 1 t l is~nissit~g l l ~ c workers the c~n l~ loye r failctl to nl) l~ly the critcrin o f ' l i ls l i11 first out'

or nny know11 o r it le~lti l inblc criteria;

6. tile workcrs arc U t ~ i o r ~ roprcsc~~tativcs or1 ils Ncgolint i t~g ' lhni l~ I ~ r t tI10 Employer llns

not orlicinlly infortncd ihc Urliotl o f thc tcrc~litlnlion o f thc wvorkers' scsvices;

7, fo l lowi t~g t l ~ c ~ltr lcsni i~lnl io~r o f the workers' services, persons were cmployctl by lltc

Cretlil Ulliotl; niltl

8. t l ~ c cmploycr ncilllcr cot~sl~ltct l nor llcltl tlisc~lssions \v i t l~ llte i l l l ion 011 ll lc

rcorgn~lisaliorl o f l h e workforce.

'I'llc LJtliotl co~lcludcd that l ltc dcter t~~innt iot~ o f l l ~ c scrvicc o f l l lc \vorkcl-s was ~ ~ n f a i r ,

Ilarsll, ol)pressivc ant1 1101 in keeping will1 the pri~lcil)les n11t1 pracliccs o f good irltlustrinl

rclatior~s. Tl lc rcrncdy sought was rc i~ ls l~ le tncn l o f boHr workers n11tl compe~lsi~tiorr For

loss o fc i t r t l i ~~gs its i~ scsolt o f tiisn~issnl.

f11 its clositlp sltbtnissio~is in srtpport o f il cnsc, thc Urliorl comt~lcr~tletl to tllc Court's

allclltion, the followitlg cxccrpl lnkctl li?)trl II re1101.l publisltetl b y like ILO i t1 200j2, \vllicll

"...While the existericc o f nil en~l,loy~ncnt lolatio~~sllil, is not in qucslio~~, l l lc ilitlurc o f l l lo c i i ~ ~ ) I o y ~ i ~ c ~ ~ t relnlionsl~il) i s inlotlio~lally niisrel)rcsollcd so ns lo deny ce~tnia rigllts tlnd bc~lefits to dcperldonl workcrs, llos l l le putposes o f i l l is reyorl, strch contracl i~~itnil)ulolio~t unlotrrlts to n~lotlrer type o f disguisetl

'1 he scope of tho ct~~ploynlel~l rclnliol~allip, It.0,2003,1) 25

8

nttp loy~~~ct l t selnlior~sl~i)), scsli i l i~~g ill n lnck o f prntecliolt for lltc workcrs co~~ccr~~ct l . This is tllc cnsc. Tor C~IIIII~)~~, o f coolrncls co~lc l~~t lc t l for n fixed tcnn, or For a sl)ecillc task, but wlticlt i ~ r c Iilett rel~calctlly rclte\vctl, wiltt or w i l ho~~ l o break. 'l'lte ilu)sl visible eCfccl o f I l l is lypc o f collln~or n~a~~ i l ) t i l i ~ l i o i~ i s I l lat l l ~ c wol.kcr does t ~ o l oblnii~ llrc bcl~cfils 1)rnvidctl lo oiiployees by labour lcgistalio~l or colleclivc bargai~ti~~g."

'l'ltc Collrl wits itlso ~t lgct l to '.. . look beyol~tl l l le veneer o l ' l l ~c cottlmct nttcl expose lo fit11

view w l~n t i n renlity is n ltlcrc nllentpl iit c i~ 'c l t~ t tvc~~l ion o f i jghls o f a \vorkcr nntl l l ~ c

Act'.. . 3

I t \\Ins itlso st~bi~t i l le t l b y lltc i l l t i o l ~ tltnt its one o f l l ~ o l!~nploycr's vvil~tesses, Mr.

( i~~nt lc lo l~] tc, slalcd ill class-cxn~~~innl io~t , Ihc 1lmplo)~cr mittle llte tlccisiot~ to tlis~niss tllc

two woikers siltce tlte i~t i t l t l lc ofJnnuit~ y 2004, prior to l l lc c o ~ ~ ~ l ) l e l i o t ~ o f r l le 111sliluIionol

Audit nlttl re -org i~~~isat io i~ cxcrcise. 'I'hercfnrc, tltc 1!111ploycr nctetl ' l ~ i ~ s t y nntl

~~ lc l l l t l l~ l re ly ' .

l l igltl igltletl also, was what il saw :IS llte s l~ i t i i ~c t l rclnliortsl~ip bclwcei~ i l tc wvorkcls nltd

1110 Eml)loycr OII I... I l ~ e corl>ii~p, o f llte i111io11 i1tlo lltc workl)lnce', wltich i t clninretl wns

s11p1)nrted by ~ l t o tcsli lnot~y o f lltc workca ns well the f i ~ t t l i ~ ~ g s set or11 nl j)ngc 11 o f the

A t ~ t l i l Kcpo~l .

Ilowcvcr, t l~oogh llot i~cccplittg tllnl t11c workcrs wcre dis~nissetl for reasons o f

rethll~tlili~cy, lltc r l ~ t i o ~ t ilttlicntcd Ihnt i f l l lc foro~uln ill l l ~ c l l c t r o ~ i c l ~ ~ t ~ c i t t Act were

iipplictl, Ms. ttetlgc Coo~tior w o l ~ l d bc clltilted to sevcrallcc pay o f $13,587.50 it l t t l MIS.

Wootls to $22,209.25.

Ihc rcasotl Tor lllc workers' tlisr~iissnl. It~clutletl i r k lllose sul)rnissions was Ihc nsscrlio~i

ll lnl lllc Er11l)loycr tlcnictl ihc workers tllc ol)l)orlunily lo cxltlore tile possibilily or

scclioll 5 of the I ~ c ~ r c i ~ c l ~ ~ ~ ~ c ~ ~ t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ l . S . c v c r ~ ~ i c ~ ~ B e l l a s Act. 198.5, Also, IIIIII Illc

Iltnl~loyer led IIO cvitlcncc lo sllow lllal lllc scicction of lllc workers \\Ins ol~cclivclp

cnrricd 0111, nor t11t1I llle workcrs tlitl l~ot possess ille tleccssitry qunlificnlio~~s nrld or

exl)cricncc lo l~old jobs in tllc rc-orgnnisctl sit-uclum. 'l'llcrc wns also no cvitle~~cc f h i ~ t fllc

\vor.kc~,s perfonnctl (Ircir jobs less favo~~r;~Oly tlinli other workcn wl~o svcrc ilut

'I'IIE C1IBI)I'I' UNION'S CASE

'I'llc (:reclil U~liorl offers cll~l)loy~lict~t to i)crsolls, nll of Ihe111 being ils ~ncn~ben, or1

Icrllpomry, cnsl~tll, corllrnct iintl 1)cnllanctll bases. It's 'Work IJolicy' wlricl~ wns oltcrctl

illto cvidcncc co~llni~lctl t l~c following dcli~~iliotls nl ~)irrc~gral~l~ I 'Typc of Ernl)lo)w~cl~t':-

31) 'I'c~~q~ornry-Illis rcfcrs lo rill ell~ployee who pcrfonns voriolls dlltics for n 1)criod not cxceetlit~g lllrcc (3) moi~lhs ....

c) ~ : o ~ ~ l ~ ~ n c l - c r n ~ ~ l o y ~ ~ ~ c ~ ~ t for tllc ~)orfononacc of 11 specific sseil of work Sol nr1 cslnblisl~etl 11criotl 1101 ill cxcess oS illl.cc (3) ycnrs, with the o1)tion for wllcwnl.

ti) I'eln~nllc~it- nn cl~~l~loycc who pcrlonns tliffcrclit tlreils 01' work or) a ~ C ~ I ~ ) I I I I C I I I bnsis."

cis n rcsull of cciinin tlevclop~nci~ls o\rcr lllc pas1 few yenrs i n rcspecl of Co-o)~crc~livcs,

orle of which wns the I'inn~~cial Sector Rcfonn I\ill, 1110 Crcdit Utlio~i took collsciol~s

stcl)slo ~~iutlcrt~isc itselrill or(lcr to s~rrvivc and re11ini11 con~l)etilive willl otllcr linn~lcisl

i~lstit\llio~~s. One slrch slcp wns to u~ltlellake n 'Mini ilumn11 Ileso~rrcc/O~~crnlioi~s Alttlil'

("lllc Autlil") otlrl re-orgnrlisntion of its ol)cr;ilions. Rnsetl 01, tllc A~ltlit lllc 1!111ploycr

tlecitletl tllnl i t 'woultl not be l)rtttlc~ll' lo r,cnew lhc workcrs' co~llrncls.

Ut~~illg IIrc l)c~iot ls o f c ~ ~ ~ ~ ) l o y ~ ~ ~ c r ~ l o f the two worke~s, thcrc was 110 rcprcse~~lal io~l to

I h c ~ n by ll le Crcdil Urlion lllnl l l lcy \vot~ltl be ~l l i l t le penllnllcllt But i t w i ~ s rnotle clear l o

~II~III IIlitt tllcir c ~ l l p l o y n l e ~ ~ t wns or1 n Ielnllorary bnsis o ~ l t l ns st~ch encil pcriotl o f

c~nl)loyrncllI coultl not excectl tllrec illontlls nt a given lime.

1. 13ot11 wo~kers hiltl fixed l o n l co~~lrncls wvl~icl~ expired.

2. A t a l l limes the Crctlit I J ~ l i o t ~ miltic every cffol.( to keep tile \workers ill c~~ lp loy .

3. Wllerl l l le Cretlil i l l l i on could no longer i~cconl~notlntc Il lc workc~s i t tlitl 1101 allow

Illem lo leave c111l1ly l ~ i ~ ~ ~ t l c t l btlt ~nnt lc n Irlrnl) sun1 paymcrlt to cnc l~ ol' Ihenl wllicll

was co~~lpu le t l ns hr ns i>ossible o11 tllc principles and ill i~ccortlntlcc will1 l l lc

~)~o\~ is ior ls o f tlic Rct rer lch~nc~~l ilnd Scvc~nllce l3e1lelils Acl, No. 32 o f 1985.

4. At ill1 linlcs ll le Credit Ulliorl ncterl E:~irly nud ill nccortlnncc wit11 ll lc pri~lciples o r

gooti it~tluslrinl rclnlio~ls pmctice.

111 its closing st~brnissior~s, IIlc Employw conlcntlctl that l l lc workcrs' co~~tr i ic ls satisfictl

the cr i le~ in o f fixcd t c r~ l l conlcacls n ~ l t l i n st~ppolt o f Illis ciletl IIlc cnsc of L ) i x o u l ! ! ~

131.itish I J r o n d c i ~ s l i ~ ~ ~ ~ : o ~ ~ l . i o j ~ Ils l)osil io~i on fixcd tenn conlrncls that '...ill Illis - . , . - .

juristliclior~ IIlew is 110 slnlulory provisiorls w l ~ i c h rcg t~ l i~ le fixed lei-111 corlllncls' tllltl 8s

s t ~ c l ~ the colnmoll I i lw wot~ l t l i t l~ply. A l cor~u l lo~ l lnw i f n conllscl o f cn lp loyme~~l is itself

tliscl~nrgctl II~IOII the co~ltt.nch~nl tcm~iont io~ l (late, IIO 1ial)ility arises. 011 the iJnio11's

n l l cg i~ t i o~ l l i l i ~ t the Cretlil I J r ~ i o ~ l e l~ l l~ loyc t l 1110 wvorkcrs 011 sllort tenn co~lll'ncls when tlley

were co~ l t i~ t t lo t~s ly eml)loyeti i n ntl nl lc~l lpt to disguise tho t111c ~ l i ~ t u r e o f l l lcir

c~nployrncnl, tllc l!lnl,loycr co~~tct~t lcc l that tl~ere \wits no cvitlerlce wl~ i~ lsoe\~cr kotn w l ~ i c l l

i t ctlultl '...rcnsot~nbly be infcn.ctl tllilt Alltillcs inndc o t ~ y attempt to t le~ry llte workers o f

'Sllrcc willtcsses lestifictl for thc union. Mr. Vitlcet~( Cabrern, Prcsitlcnt o f thc iJl1io11 i ~ t l t l

t l ~ c iwo w o ~ kcrs.

Mr. Cnl~rel'i! ~

M r Cilbrcrtt's (csli~lloliy wns i l loit~ly ill rcsl)ecl of corrcsl~ontlellcc pi tssi~l l~ betweell ihc

I!tnploycr i l t t t l tllc [Jnio~t, rcl i l l i~tg lo its t.olc n!: the recogllisctl t~~qjor i ty uniorl, A ~ n o l ~ y 1I1c

tloc~ltlie~its lic itlctltilicd were the Ccrlificiite of Rccopr~iliorl No. 2 o f 2002 tlnlctl April

29, 2002, n lctler tlntctl Fcbrrtnry 13, 2004 fiotll the I?mltloycr i~~fol.tniny llte iJi)iotl Illat

tllc I!lnploycr wi~s c o t ~ d ~ ~ c l i t ~ g ill1 Autli l n ~ ~ t l re-orgitt~isalio~t o f its opcrnlions i t l i t l t l ~n l nil

colrlrncteti c~l~ployti ict l t wllich tc r~~~ i t~a te t i tluri~lp, the period wol~ ld 1101 lte rcl~cwcrl i t t l t l n

leller tl i~lctl l~ebnlary 20, 2004, front ll lc Ul l iot~ lo l l ~ c 1ltnl)loycr rcgnl.tlillp I l ~ c workcrs'

tlislllissnls.

'I'hc letter h n ~ t l ~ c lil11l)loyer tlnlctl I'cl)~umy 13, 2004, w i~s lrccivctl by fncsi~liilc "lolrg

aftel. I l ~ e 13""', atlrl wcts the 1Jnion's firs1 i t~ l icnl ion lltat an audit cscrcise wits bein[:

u ~ ~ t l c ~ l n k c t ~ . Subscquet~l to ils collclusion lltc U~l ior l was tlot scltl i t colty ol'tlle l < c l ~ o ~ t By

ll lc Rm1)loycr nor werc tlisc\tssiu11s llcltl will1 lllcln or1 t l ~ c Reporl. II was also no1

ittrOt.~nctl o f tlle IIRIIICS o l ' l l~e workcrs nl'fccletl by ll lc l!tnploycr's dccisioll 1101 to renew

co111ri1ct workers. Sr~l~secluc~ll to the tcnni~lnl iot~ of lhc sc~ vices of t l ~ c workers, tllc llt l iorl

was 1101 it,foltnetl l)y the f i tr~l~loyer o f any vnca~~cios w i l l ~ i n l l ~ e Clctlit U n i o ~ ~ .

- - - - ' I'\ll>lic Scn,icc.r As.incinlio~l v Ailpolls Ar~ll~~,ril)' nr'l'riai~lnd a ~ l t l 'lbbngo, dnlcd 1.1" No\,cmI~c~, 2000.

I l c sc~itl lllet l l ~ e [Inion was 1101 i ~ ~ f o n l ~ e t l nbo l~ l t l ~ e tlis~liissnl of' I l ~ c workers by tile

Enlploycr b r~ t receivetl copies of l l lc workers' lellers o f tcnninal io~~ lion1 tllc \\lorkers

Ihc~~~sc lvcs . 'l'llc Ic r t~ l i~ ln l io~ ls ere effeclcd ill IIIC i l ~ i t l ~ l l e or llle ~legolinlions nlttl he tl i t l

M s & ( l g ~ ~ i n ~ :

' i s worker Icslificd m n i ~ ~ l y i~bou l her ~IIII~~IIICIII I~istory, her th~l ies n ~ ~ t l Ilcr

relnliot~sllip will1 ~ l l c 1!111l~loyer. );or l l lc nlosl pnrt Ilcr evitlcnce o11 l ~ c r work recolul

nccortlctl with l l lc tloct~mcrtlnvy proof 1)rovidetl by IIle Elnl)loyer. I-lor rnlc o f pny ill

Fcbrunry, 2004 wns $2,600. Sllc wns lirsl c~n))loyctl l o tlcal will1 tlcli~~cluenls ns it

'Ilccovcries Clerk'. 111 1996 she cintl Mr. Cit~atleloul)e set 111) 'Illc Recoveries I )cpnr l~ l~cr~l '

anti posons were clliployetl to work i n l l ~ c tlcpnrlo~cnl. Picld visits were t~~lt lcr lnkcn by

e~nl)loyees in l l lc I ) c l ~ i ~ r t t ~ ~ c ~ ~ t , A l l l l o ~ ~ g l ~ IIW cot~lrncls slntetl IICS ~)os i l i o~ l as 'Scrlior

I<ccovcrics Clerk' ontl 'I~ecoverics Clcrk', lesl)cclively, sllc was in filcl the Supervisor

nntl rel)orletl l o ihc Meni~gcr. 'l'lie work she ditl ill 2004 wns s i~ni lar l o Illill w l i i c l ~ sllc (lid

wllen lint c111l)loyetl but tvilh some ntltl i l io~lal tlulics. A l the com~llc~lcc~nenl, i ~ l l t l a l Ihc

tcro~i l lnt io~l of ller en~l) loy~ne~ll , tllcrc were roug l~ ly l l lc snlrle 11\11nI)cr o f t le l i~~qucnl

II~~~IIIII~, namely, six 111111tlrctl (600). She exl)ccletl her co~llracl l o be rcnewctl becm~sc o r

l l lc number o fdc l i nquc~~ t nccou~lls.

She clnirnctl Ihnl the time o f llcr tlisnrissi~l l l~cre were fo~~r leet l (14) persons in Ihe C~.etlil

L l ~ l i o t ~ ' s clnl)loy ant1 of lhat n u ~ t ~ b e r about c ig l~ t (8) persons were on co~l l r i~el . S l ~ e ~ l a ~ n c d

Sour o f t l~osc ciul)lopccs, i l lch~tl ing Mrs. Wootls i111tl one, Ms. Cilrln Lewis, ns l~nv ing

co~ilritcls dtie l o expire 111 ihc sonic l inlc as IIC~S. Wit11 l l ~ e c x e ~ l ) l i o ~ l o fM~.s . Woods IIIOSC

e~llployces were 1101 given l c r r l ~ i ~ ~ i l l i o ~ ~ ~loticcs nlltl rcmai~lctl erllploycd wi l l l l l lc Cletli l

I J~~ ior l . Si t~cc Ircr tern~innlion she l l t r t l 1101 bcc11 co~~t i lc lc t l b y llie Crctlil I l l l ion cor lcemi~~g

licr i~~terost i n nny VII~IIIICY.

'I'llc l i n t Iitne she \vns i~~forn le t l of an Autlit ol' l l lc C~et l i t Un io t~ wns ill l ~ c r lellcr o f

lerr~linil l ion w h i c l ~ s l ~ e rcccivetl on l t c b ~ i ~ n r y 17, 2004. I'rior to ~'eccil)l o f tllc lcller the

I!~~lploye~. tlitl not holtl t l isc l~ssio~~s \villi Ilcr or will1 c~nployees ill ge~lernl or1 the Autlit,

I)i~ri~lg llte l n ~ l periotl ol'llcr c~~)l)loymcnt, from 2002 lo 2004, r legol inl io~~s were l a k i ~ ~ g

~)li lce I)clwcc~l l l lc Employer nntl l l lc Union nntl she was no icelive 111enlI)er o f l l lc lJrliot~'s

Ncgo l in l i~~g 'I'cn~ll. I l e r mlnl io~~ship will1 the rllnllngclnelll o f 1110 C ~ c t l i l Union chir~~gctl

lia111 being cort l i i~ l l o "rlot cortll111" wllcr~ she bccnme ir me~llbcr o f lhc 'l'e11111 nntl

ox~)rcssctl l l le belicC thnl llcr t c r r ~ ~ i l ~ i l l i o t ~ wns rclntcd to l ~ c r t~iembcnlli l) o f l l ~ e

Negotiilling 'I'C~IIII.

IJntla' ooss -cxn~~~ i r~a l i on IIlc worker con l i r~~ le t l I l ~ n t slic l~ i r t l ~ I I earlier 1)eriotl o f

e ~ n l ) l o p r ~ ~ c ~ ~ t will1 l l lc Crcdil [ J t l i o~~ 011 n le~npornry bnsis i n 1983 t~n l i l I984 wllcr~ s l ~ c

rcccivctl n l e t l a offering llcr 1)erilInllelll o~nl) loyt~lc~l t , w l l i c l ~ slic ncccpletl. Sllc was nskctl

l o r c s i g ~ ~ in 1989 b y Ihc 'l'rcos\~rcrlMit~~i~gcl' l o work will1 Ihc La l3rca Corlsti~llcr Co-op,

"11 sister /I>rothor or 'g~~r~isntlor~". Whcn Ilinl orgnr~isnl io~~ closed ill 199.5, slic wos rc-

ernployctl at i \~ l l i l lcs. Sllc ogrcctl l l ~ n l 011 ~e-crnploy~ncnl, I I ~ o u g l ~ ilss\~rctl o fc r~~ l ) loymcr l l

by Mr. C;uiitlelot~l)e s l ~ c was tlol ~)ronlisctl perrniine~ll en l~ ) loy r l~c~~ I . Mr. ( iui~delonl~e silid

Ihnl evc~ybot ly \vol~lt l OC OII co~~lr i lc t , "IIC i s not III:IIZIII~ n ~ ~ y b o d y ~ ) e r n ~ n ~ ~ c n t " .

Shc olso i~ltl icaletl f l i i~ t l l lc l~ccovcries D c l ~ n r l ~ ~ l e ~ ~ l , I l ~ o t ~ g l i eI"licic11I \\lit$ C X ~ ) C ~ ~ C I I C ~ I ~ ~ ,

sollle probletns in 2002 wllicl~ were reli~letl to lllc lilck of field visits. 'l'l~e ~Iln~lagcrllcnl

wilrlletl 11c1. to I I I I I ~ C lieltl visits elone, whcrci~s belbrc, t\vo pelsons r~~ntle s~lcll visits. Sllc

co~~cctlctl Illill MI'. Slyvesfcr, llle COIISIIII~IIII ~ I I ~ C I V ~ C \ V C ~ I~cr 011 JRIIIIIIYY 21, 2004, it1

corl~leclio~~ willl 1110 Autlit nntl also lhill she saw a tloculne~lt daletl Jat~uary 19'" 011

Ja1111nry 28'" ill thnl regnrtl.

This \vorkcr slalctl tllol l~cr c~llployrllc~ll look cl'fecl fio~tl Sel~Lclnbcr 24, 1990 to I'ebr~lar'y

28, 2004. I k r rnlc of pi~y ill le~.~nina(io~~ was $2,550.00 per ino~~lll. Iler job lillc was

'Spccisl Assigt~~l~crlls Clerk' ilrltl she perl'orr~rctl 1110 dutics of C:lerk ill Ille Metlicnl

Sectior~ li.om 1991 nntl fion~ 1992 wns also tllc l<elicf Casl~icr. 111 llle i~iilial slngcs of her

c ~ ~ ~ ~ ) l o y r ~ ~ a ~ t , sllc 11nd breitks ofollc week bul ilcr crnployraent i~ecn~ne co~ll i~~t~oos, 'l'llcrc

were limes wl~crl she worked but tlitl 1101 sign n cotllracl to cover l l~e i~eriotl. Al t l~e lin~c

of 11c1 Icrr~litlalio~~ sllc wns IIIC innin er~ll)loycc pcrhr~~l i~ lg the dulics she pcrhsrnctl nlltl

as lirr as she k~lcw the tlulies a le still bcit~g pcrfor~~~ctl. Slrc cxpccletl her colllrncl lo l)c

rellcwetl becausc lhnt wns alwi~ys lllc case. Allcr llcr tc~~rni~~nliorl, she was ol'lbretl a

~)osilion of tellll)orary l<ciiefCnsl~ier will1 tile Credit Urliorl but ditl not accept i t I)ccnt~se

uarc lvere ncgoli~~li~rg nt the 11111c...i111ti I rell 11 \!,as ]lot good I ~ I ~ I I s I ~ I ~ I I [rclnllol~sl

~wc~ctlco to take an ltttllvltl~~nl co~~trnct... %vc were try111): to rcg~rle~~lsc 1111 !vorltc~.s,"

Wit11 regartl to IIlc Aulil, sl~c: snit1 tl~at rlol lorig beforc irer lcrr l~i~l i~l io~~ leller \\*as givcci to

her, slle tvns spoken lo by tlie C:or~s~~lla~lt. Sllc rccallctl rcccivil~g a docu~~lellt fro111 the

(:rctlit Uniol~ solnc lilne anel; about tllc At~tl i l . 'l'l~e I?nlploycr tlitl tlol sl~enk to 11cr or

~)lavitic ;+II cxplnnntiorl rcgnrtliny wvllat Illc said Audit elllailctl. Followirlg her interview

will1 llle Co~~s~llliinl s l ~ c spoke to Mr. Cnbrerit nbottl il. Ms. Radgc Coo~nar wtls p~.cset~l

wl~cn SIIC sl~oke 10 11it11. AS riir RS she kt~cw, Mr. Cn1)rcls tlitl t~ol contacl the En~l)loycron

Ihc ttlirltcr i~ltcr l~cr tlisct~ssiot~ will^ I I ~ I I I .

111 cross-exi~n~i~~irlio~~ the tvorkcr atl~~~illctl i l ~ i t l up to tlrc li111c lrer COII I~NCI exj)irctI she llatl

11 good wolkil~g rclntiot~sl~il) \vill~ MI'. (iuntlelo~rpe. Ilc ltrntetl 11cr colrlinlly. She nlso 110s

a good lalnlionsllil) will1 Ms. Rntlgc Cootl~nr. Tlrcp wcrc I)o!I1 111cn1bcts of t l~c Ncgoliirling

'I'canr alotrg willr Mr. Cabrcra, llcr evitlencc wns I l ~ n l l l~c l<ccovcrics l)cl)nrttnct~l \vns

i~lrcatly il l cxisle~rcc w1rc11 Ms. I<irtlgc (:oolrrclr was clnployctl.

'l'lle I?tr~ploycr callctl lwo wilt~esscs on its bcl~trlf; Mr. Ciuatlclortpc t l~c h4at1nger~r~cast1rcr

cl~rtl Mr Cecil Slyvastel; tltc C o ~ ~ s ~ ~ l l n t ~ t who l)crforlncd l l~c Autlit.

Mr ( ; I I ~ I I ~ C - Mr. Ciuatlclou~~c the Ma~~agcrfSrcnst~rcr. of Illc Crctlil Ur~iol~ for abor~l il~illy--six years

gnvc cvitlct~cc irtlet- nlin about the l!tnploycr's opctirliot~s, l l~c Avtlil at~tl l l~e I ~ I I S V I I S IIIIII

the crnployces' conltacts were lnot rcncnfetl. 'l'llc Crctlit Utlio11 wllicll was cslnblisl~cd in

1948, look II tlccisio~r to cotn~nissio~t ill1 itutlil of its ol~eralio~rs ",..rrs n I I I C I I I I ~ of

h1.111g111g 0111' orgn~~isntiot~ nl~rei~st of tecl~t~ologicsl cltn~rgcs... to be nble to 1,111 11s 111

l i l~c \vitll tho tllore progressive 1'1111 nf tltc ol'gn~~isntlo~t,,.to lttr~)rovc t l ~ c orgnnisntiot~

so ns to br.i~rg better bc~~efits to oltr n~c~l~bcrs". 'l'l~e Audil was condttclctl by MI.. Cecil

Slyvcstcr of I<OY'SEC (L'lhc Cot~sullnt~l").

Iltlrii~g the course of l l~c Autlil wl~ich was ullde~.lnket~ in lnlc January 20011, tliscussiol~s

wcrc I~eld 11cl\vccn the Atttlitor n t ~ t l Mr. (;untlcloul)c o t ~ a11 ol~going l)asis R I I ~ a1 IIIC et~d of

il, :I l(cj)ot-l was givor lo l l~c Crctlil Utliot~. Llaily discussions \\'ere l~cltl tlurit~g wl~ich the

1)nrlics disc~~ssctl ' . , t l ~ c prog~'css of tlrc i~~ves(igntlun". 111 l l~c discussiot~s Ihc

(,'c~ttsuilitt~l l~oit l lct l ortl ccllnit~ t l~ i t~gs I11nl tlcctlctl to be tlotle tbr. I l ~ e ol.gi~r~isnliotl "lo

tllovc fn~witrt l", IIirsetl on lllosc tliscr~ssiot~s lllc i!~ltl)loyer lookctl ill lllc slnn' \vilil

"...sl)cciirl enll)ll:~sis otl Ihc cn~~lr i rctct l \ \ ' o~ l t c~~s n110 \brc clitl 1101 rclle\v the controcls

o f IItc col~lrnctctl \vn~~ltcrs". A l t l~oog l~ l l ~ c ( l o ~ ~ s ~ ~ l l i ~ ~ ~ l ' s r cco~ l~ t~~e~~r l a l i c v~s wcrc 1101

specific lo Iltc two wo~kc~s , ltc slnletl illnt tlre Crctli! 011io11 wns ove~slilfrctl and IIlc

recovc~ies nllti s])ccinl i~ssigl~lnc~l l funcliotts sltot~ltl be lookctl nt.

'fltc R111l1loycr tilntlc l l ~ e tlccisiorl ill l i~ to Jii~luary to icrnlinnlc lltc scrviccs, rtol o ~ l l y oSl l~e

l\vo \vorkers, b111 of nll cnlllrnctetl workers, nboul "fo111. or five". 'i'lrc t lecisio~~ 1101 to

rcncw ihc workcrs' ctrt~lrnds wns rl~ntle i l k l i ~ l c Jn~~~l i t ry, 2004, bssctl on tllc disct~ssio~ts

willt llle Ar~tlitor lo ille clTecl lllnt lllcy were SII~O~IIS lo 1110 Cretlil Uniort. I-lowcvcr, l i ~ e

lellers (lit1 II~I go illto tllcsc dclilils whet^ i l ~ c workers werc w r i l t c ~ ~ to co~ l cc r~~ ing i I ~ e II~II-

~ ~ c t ~ c w n l o r their contrircls nor was illc II~I~OII i~lrot.t~tctl ofll)is, l'hc "grnt~t" pnitl to tllc

Iwo workcrs to1 Icrmi~lalion, was l)asctl OII Illc salnc formuli~ sel oul i n ! I ! ~ l r c !~& l cn l

flld S - t l ~ ~ ~ ~ c i l s &,Jc,X$,

'I'llc C o ~ t s l ~ i t i ~ ~ ~ t ' s t~cco~n~nc~tdnliott regitrtling slirl'fing was IIIIII IIlc Crctlit Ut~iol t sho~tltl

Itnvc n s i i ~ f f o f 10- 12 pcrsolls. I lowevcr, Illc r{111ploycr ct~rrenlly llas 1.1 illc~tlbers of slitff,

tlic snnlc nutnl~cr Illal werc etlll)loyctl in I:cb~'~~nsy 2004, whcn lhc co~~ l r i ~c l u o f Ihc

worke~s were lrot ~encwcd. I-lowcvcr, i t ) r e - e x i ~ ~ i ~ i ~ t t ~ t i o t Ilc i~tt l ici~lct l illat i n Jn~lunry

2004, Illere wcrc " i i f feci~ o r s i s l cc~~" persotls clnl)loyetl \\ti111 lllc Cretlil 1J11ion ns well ns

"OIIC 01' (\YO te~rtl)ol'itrics".

I l c snit1 thnl \vIten iltc Eolploycr gnvo Ms, llitdge <:oolrl;~l. a cor~ l~ i lc i il was it~tctrtled lo

givc lrcr greater bc~~c f i l s l l ln~t those sllc c~~ joycd ns il Icnt l~orn~ y c~nl)lopcc. As n colllrncl

worker, she enjo)~ctl i)cr~siot~ l~cncfits i ~ ~ t t l \VRS nlso n ntetnbcr o f tllc Crcciii Union's

follo\vi~rg cxccrpl liam the Cretlit Ul)ior~'s A~rrrrtnl Report for 1996:-

When 1110 I)eparlnrctrl was i~riliirlly set ep i l was OII n irinl birsis to scc if llrc "o~rtficlcl

Dcl~iirlnre~rl was scl I I ~ fivsl wilh two persons, lalcr n II t i l r l 1)ersotI \\Ins sdtletl a~ltl i)y 2004,

tlelirrq~~crtcy fi~ncliotr is slill cilrrietl oul Ilror~glr not i t r lllc sntlrc way. 'l'lrc 1)el)nl.ltncnl tlitl

~~wtlucc "good vcs~~lls" i~litinlly but nflcv 'ltno or II~rcc" years it wetrt bnck lo the snlnc

rMragil Slyves(e1

Mr. Cecil Slyester, Mntrirgc~~re~~l Cot~srillirtrt irnd Leclurcr st ROYII'EC co~lth~clctl 11

Mir~~ngcn~enl Atltlil of llrc Crctlit ilnior~ over llro period J ~ I I ~ I ~ I I . ~ 19"' lo 2711', 2001. Ilrtrirrg

I. irsscssetl llrc orgnnisatio~~'~ slmclarc; 2. rcvicwctl its nlirin processes; 3. rcvicwctl cetlni~~ or its rccortls illrtl files: 4. corrtlr~ctctl ilrlcrvicws \villr slnffn~cr~rbcrs; 5. corrdr~clctl i~rlcrviews with Mn~rir~c~r~cnt: ir~rd - 6. cvalualctl llrc finn~tcinl posilio~l i~nt l 1111: fi~lnl~cinl rcsk~lls oftlrc Credit U I I ~ ~ I I vis-it

vis ollrer crcdil utliorrs as well RS currcnl ])mtlc~rtial intlr~slr-y stn~rtlir~.tls.

I.lc llcltl tinily or111 Oricfingri wi l l r Mtr~rn(~cmc~rl tlrlring llrc co~rlucl of Ilrc At~tlil nll t l

I ' c b ~ ~ ~ n r p 27, 2004. A cont/)nrisot~ of' the Cretlil IJnioll ill tcnns o f its asset bnselpcr

crnl)loycc rntio sl~owed tltat tllerc was n witle tlispnrily belwee~l i t atld olllcr Crctlil

I l~ i ions. 'I'ltc level o f nclivity i t t l l ic nrens of loa~ts, payroll tletlucliotis nntl r)lctlical claims

"co~tlt l l tnrt l ly j ~ t s l l f y ... Iltc s t ~ t f f l ~ ~ g levels." As n result IIC reco~~~~ncn t l c t l tllnt i f

u A ~ ~ t l l l c s is to colilc ~II li t lc \vlIlt tltc s t~rvcy popttlntlon 11 s t d f o f 10-12 111igl1( I)c i l lore

npl)rol)rfnte." I l c fot~ntl l l t i l l Iho orga~~isation wns process t lr ivc~t nntl ns stlclt was riot thc

tyl)c o f o~'ga~~isit t ion lllnl cot~lt l w ~ ~ l o v e (Ilc Crcclil ~JII~OII ntlt l o ~ l i ~ b l c i t l o colllpetc

cffcctlvclp 111 1110 c11rrc11t o ~ v l r o ~ i ~ ~ ~ c t t t " . l l i s suggcslion was to re-tlcsig~l lhc

orgn~risnlio~t to focus III~IC on fitlfillilty (111: tiectls of tltc t~te~tibcrs and less or1 processing

i~ l fonl l i~ l io l t . 'I'lie sltt~cl\~tr? Itc proposetl tlitl not i~tclutlc ;I Clerk processing glalll) ttictlical

clnints, otle I~an t l l i t~g tltc t'ccoverics filrlclion nlttl a ~ l u ~ n b e r o f lltc Yol~t l t l)evelol)~nellt

Clerks were not i~lcludcd. Youth Develop~~tent was c o ~ t ~ b i r ~ c d with Markcling.

011 ll lc ttiiittcr o f tleli~tcloc~tcy ll lc Co t i s~~ l tn~ t l exl)lnilletl tllnl l l lc Credit IJltiotl usctl n

pnrticulnr softwnre li,acknge, 'tllc C[JMIS syslcr~i' wliicli was s ~ t Accoultting syslctti tllnl

conlninctl as o ~ t c o f its rnotlulcs n fenturc ibr t l e l i~ tq t~c~~cy . Iio\vevcr, tllc Cretlit Utliort tlitl

tlot l)ml)cl.ly utilise illnt fcatt~rc l)ut r~li l isetl i~ttoll io. sl)rciidsheel systetti to trnck

tlclinqucrlcy. III ndditioll, 11 CII~~I S~S~CIII tvns also cml)loyetl to recortl the snlllc

itifbrrnnliort rns\llting ill a "triplicntlag" o f cI'Torls. As Ikr its llte recoveries cffort \\'its

cot~ccrt~etl, he fott~ttl i t l o lie i~~cf fccl ivc. 'I'llcrc wns no eitrly wnrrlillg syslcr~i, tltcla were n

II\IIIII)CI. o f d c l i ~ t ( j ~ ~ e ~ t l ~ICCOIII~~S i n \vllicIt llierc was no cvidcncc of nclivily ill111 ill ccl.lnir~

cilscs when Illc Credit U l t i o~ l obloinetl jucigtttc~~l agnitisl rncrllbcrs, IIO appml)t'iiNe nction

wits titkcrl to c~tforce the jut lgt~~e~tts. A r c c o ~ ~ ~ l n c n d n t i o ~ ~ \\,as lllntlc l o ottgngc n

~ ) ro fess io~~ i~ l Collecl io~l Age~icy. The Job f i ~ ~ l c t i o ~ l regnrtli~lg t lcl i t icl t~e~~cy woaltl colttinllc

to csist Tor "soft tlcliriclttc~lcy" only nrld i t woultl be nssignctl l o a I.onns Of icer. 111

lcrms o f nietlicnl clititl~s, lllcrc were so few Iltitt irtiyor~c it1 l l lc organisittion cottltl be

i~ssig~lct i lo such il Futlctiotl w i l l~o t t l a tlisntl)tiotl i n tllcir nornl i~l clulies.

Wi l l i regitrtl l o i ls overall fitrilllcinl pcrfortnatlcc \vhicll was jutlgctl ng~rillsl l l lc CAMI!I,

mlios, ottc o f the inlcmntionitl it~tl l lslry pcrfoannllcc ~ I a ~ t d i ~ r t I s 1)111 0111 b y the Worltl

Co~tt lci l o f Crctlil IJtlions, "tire rntios for At~ l l l l cs Crct l i t IJIIIOII sl)citIts voltt~lres. It

lclls o f ir <:retlil l i ~ t i o n Ihit t Is strt tggl l t~g l o cscrl IIICC~ IIrc bnrc III~II~~IIIIII~

t~cc l~~ l r c t t i c~ t f s o f i ts ~II~I IS~I.~ sInttd~~~'tIs."

Will1 t.cspccI l o his fintlitlg ulldcr 'Slnff Mnllcrs', otr pitgc 5 o f l l ~ c Arttlil I<cpotl, w l~erc he

slirtctl l l t t t l two supervisors "(lo ltot nl l l lcnr to bc I ~ i g l t l y cffcctivc n ~ ~ t l t t~r t lcr t ~ o ~ t l t n l

r i t ' c r~~~ ls tn t~ccs o t l g l ~ t ltot l o for111 par t o f flte revlsctl tcnln", lltc Cot~st~l lnt l l itlctllifictl

l l lc posilions Ilcld b y t l~osc pctsolls as " l lcnt l Citsllicr" ant1 "Sttpcr\~Isor, l,ont~s". I l c

was tlol itwitre wliellter tlrc lwo pctsotts \vctc sti l l co~ l~ loyc t l by the Cretlil [ J t ~ i o t ~ .

IIo\vcvcr, 110 \vas n\varc tllnl ntl f~ttlttslrinl I1sycl~ologist was cngiigctl lo cor~t l~ tc l n lenln

I)uiltling cxcrcisc i n l ighl o f lllc low s l n f f ~ n c ~ ~ t l c i t t t t i his rccon~tllclttliltioti tl~crcon.

'L'lfll: COURT'S OIISICItVA'I'IONS A N D l~INI)IN(:S

13nsctl ul)ot~ l l ic fncls ilntl cvitlcncc bcforc lltc Cottrl we itre calletl ttpott lo colisitlcr tllc

t~alurc o f tllc workers' c~nl)loyrlictll atrtl dclcrtnitlc wl~cthcr l l lc c i rcu~ns~i i~ lccs tttldcr

wllicli Ilint ernl)loyitlct~t cnlilc to at1 etltl wcre it1 kecpillg will1 gootl illtluslriill rclnlions

~)rnclicc. 111 irdtliliorr, we find i t rlcccssnry to conrtlienl on ll lc role of ' l l te i l l l i o t ~ as Il lc

rccogtlisctl lnajorily ullion itntl Mittlngc~ller~l's nltilttdc lowar(ls i t i n l l ~ c enlil'e tlinllcr itlid

we makc our obscrvir(ions in (Iris rcspcct beiiorc slatitlg otrr fitltlit~gs.

Ol)scrvnlio~~s

I ' J o rvils cerlilietl ns lllc rccog~~isctl t~injorily uniori (111 April 29, 2002. '1'11~

C'crlilicnlc oSl<ccog~~ilion tlcscribcs llre bilrgili~iil~g t ~ l i i l 81s 'tile 111o111111y 11110 fnv1111g1111y

vntetl c~~~ltloyccs' of tllc C!rcdil iJr1io11, w i l l r lllc cxcclrlion of llircc l)osiliolis, I I ~ I I ~ of

wliich nrc lllc posilions wl~ich were llcld by tl~esc workers. On the basis oSI11c Ccrlilicalc

of Recog~iiliol~ ntltl the Me~norn~itlu~ir of Agreement, llic workcrs lrolli oS wIlo111 werc

nlo~lll~ly pilit1 nntl ncitlicr ol'wllo~n Sell willrit~ tllc ci~legories ofet~~l)loyces exclt~tlctl, wcrc

~iicmbcrs of llle 1)nrgaining u r ~ i l . Moreover, (hey were Mc~libcn of tile i.l~iio~t's

Ncl;olinling TC~IIII, ihc only two persolis tlraw~r liwn llrc Crcdil Il~iiot~ so circomstn~~cetl.

Ncgolialio~~s wcrc: tlntler wi~y Sot' sollle lilne its was cvitlcncctl try ll~e M ~ I I ~ ~ ~ I I ~ ~ I I I I of

Agrcc~~~e~ll l)clwee~~ lllc pilrlics sigllc(l i n May, 2003. A j)n~tle~~l c~~ijrloycr n ~ l t l o~ ic versctl

in llrc lvacticc of good iriduslrinl rclntio~is, i11 suclr n silt~alior~ wotlld cerlninly linvc lrce~t

wnry of tlisn~issi~~g llicsc two workers who were ill tllc role of lJ11io11 ol'licials wliilc

~~cj:otic~liol,s were ot~goi~ig. l'l~is Rrlll)loycl; liowcvcr, fi~ilctl to np1)rccinlc ils obligi~lions

tl~ltlcl. Ihc AcI as il ])crlni~ictl to tllc rccog~~isctl ninjorily union, ill Illis wl~ole 111nIler. By

ils i ~ ~ t c r ~ t i o ~ ~ 1101 lo SCIIC\V 'co~~lrt~eled C I I I I ) ~ O ~ C C S ' tlt~ril~g the period ol'llrc Aatlil.

Qt~ilo apnrt fiorli Ihc Iilcl l i ~ n l IIrc Audit wns coml~lclctl ;I! the lime fhc lcller w;is writlc~i,

Il~ot~glt Illc llepo~t hotl not ye1 been submiltetl, the tctior of the lcltcr s~~ggcsls (hat tlic

I!mj)loyer eilller failctl to np1)rccintc or igno~,ctl Ihc fncl 111i11 lllc 'contr:~ctetl wovltcrs'

werc Ironw title inonbers of'll~c Bnrgitini~~g 1111it. 'l'lrc (!o~~rl 11cnlrl lioll~ Mrs. Wootls IIIIII

(Ilc rcg~rlnrisslion of the workcrs' stalt~s wns 1,itll of Ihc Union's tigc~~tlit i l l the

ncp,o!olii~tio~ls. Also il l ovitlcncc wns n lcllcr fio~n ll~e Prcsitlcl~l of tllc ll~~iorr tlnletl

I~eli~nnry 20, 2004, ill wllicli hc i~~dicnlctl lllnl llie eslnblisl~~i~cat lisling liir the Crctlit

IJ~lio~r wns u~rtler t l isa~ssio~~. 'l 'l~nl feller also poitrtctl to the slahls 01' llrc workers i ~ s

r ~ r e ~ ~ ~ b c r s of l l~e Ncgotinlilrg 'I'cn~a, and sot~glrt IIre witlrt lr i l \ \~i~l ol' Ihcir Icllers of

lcrminntio~~ l~ir,l~liglrli~rg llle Cict lllal ll~cre were ollrer workers \viilh less service t l r i l ~ ~ tlre

Ilccessnry lo slnlc f l ~ i ~ t llrc li~~~l)loyer's itclior~ ill tcnni~~ntil~g these workcrs, wl~o nt tllc

Ircati~lg', wns grossly tlisrcspeclti~l lo l l~c 1Jnio11 and co~~lrirry to gootl ilrd~~slrii~l rclnlio~rs

~)~xcticc. 'I'he Court i n IItO No 10 of 200~2 fo~~lrtl i t necessary to innkc '...son~c pcrlilrcnl

obse~valio~ls 011 the rigl~ts, wlc, dutics cltlrl fillletions of n rccogt~isetl i~rnjorily u~~ io r~ ' . 'l'lre

(101111 011oIct1 tlo111 (:OIII~I:I~III No. 8 of 1974' i l l ~ v l ~ i c l ~ Rrnill~wttile 1' notcti llre

con~p~~lsory tluly of employer to iwgotintc in go:ootl lititl~ willr n rccog~~isctl mnjorily

~~lrion. We fill(! i t i~~slrocli\w lo n g t ~ i ~ ~ refer lo the following tlicln:

"III ll~e l)rcsc~~l slate of ll~c law tecog~~ilio~~ tlisl)\rles llavc been coinplclcly bro~~gl~l ~tlvler ll~c co~~~pulsory pri~rciplc. A tratle I I I I ~ O I I

wlliclr II:IS ns ~nei~lbels i n gootl s ln~~tl i~~g Inore tlmn tllorc l l l n~ r 50 ~~crcci~t of n b:~rgnicli~~g unit cno ill)ply lo lllc flegistrn!io~~ Itecoy~ilion n t ~ t l Catilici~lio~~ Uonrtl lo be ce~tified as the ~ecogoisetl mrijorily IIII~OII. I I is ma<lc cotl~l)~llso~y for Ihc c~ngloyer co~~ccn~ctl lo ~ccogi~isc n lri~tle o ~ l i o ~ ~ so cc~lilictl atltl lo Ireat i111c1 11cgo1iale ill^ il i n good fnilll."

'I'hc elltry of n recog~~isctl ~~~n jo l i t y union cl~i~~lges llrc 'mlcs of IIrc gi~~ne', wllcrcas before

sr~clr ;In occllnclrce (111 e~rq)loyyer collltl offer tort~rs n ~ l t l conditio~rs of employmc~~t to its

workcrs olr the basis ol'intlivitl~~al colltrncls, tlrerei~lter, the pnrlics arc oblignletl by law lo

were onl)loyctl on co~~lrncl . T l ~ c cotllrncls wcrc bolh slntctl l o be Tor n Ierln o f iwvo (2)

LI~)OII l l lc pnyrlletll o fo t l c t n o t ~ l l ~ ' ~ snlnry it1 lie11 o f nolico. Tile cot~lritcls boll? c n ~ i ~ c l o nn

erltl by e f f l ~ t x i o ~ ~ o f l ime alttl wcrc 1101 ret~cwctl. 'lllcre wns 110 issue be lwee~~ IIle pnrlics

inlo rill cxl)osilior~ o f l l ~ e l i lw ill Ihis ilrcn. Suffice il l o sny, we f i t ~ t l l l~ern lo snlisl? l l ~ c

liowvcvcr, given l l ~ e O~nployer's subtnissio~~s on 1110 common lnw positioll rcgnrtl i l~g fixed

Icr111 COII~I?IC~S n11d IIIC COIIS~(~~I~I~CCS \VIIICII flow il~etefiot??, l l lc Court filltls i t nccessilry

to rciterillc as slntetl in 'I'D NO. 216 o f 2001, l11111:.

"... n worker who sclves nn e~~q)lopcr l)t~rstlnllt lo n lixctl tc1-111 co t~ t~~ lc t is n worker within the tl~cnl~ittg o f IIIC B~tl~tsltinl I<clnliot?s Act ("ll~e Acl") u~~ lcss spccilicnlly exch~detl 11y law. I;?~rtlter, il is well selllcd l l ~ n l n fnil~lrc lo talicw ;I lixctl tcrt?? cotllracl \I~I~II ils expiry call bc ;I tlis~aissi~l w l ~ i c l ~ is IIRIS~I i ~ n d opptcssivc or tlol i t ? nccottl i~~~ce will1 lltc prit?cil)lcs o f good itidi~slrinl re l~t t io~~s l~ti~cticc."'O

111 tlic cnsc o f m v I l l c _ I 3 3 1 13rontl~nsli trg~C~rnIi011 I,or91 Dcnr~i t~g, M.R. snit1 of'

S c ~ l i o ~ ~ 10 (1) "13anki11g lnsurnisc nnd (ie~~aml \Vorkcrs0 Union v Ruynl I31ii1k ofl'ri~~idncl o i d 'l'obngo I,ii??ilctl, 1) *I

"...lrn\~irrg bccn crrrl)loyctl t~ndcr ccr~rlrncls firr a f~xctl tcrrrr, [Ilrcg] cir~r ctai~rr t11aI llrcy \VCIC tIi~~rli~~~d.'l'lrcy call p t ~ ( ill s clnirrl l>cli>re a rrib~11>:11, '~ 'IICII i t ~ v i l l be for tlre cr~r~)Ioycr lo prove Ilrtit tlrc tlis~~riss;il was !rot t r~~fn i r n ~ t t l tlral llrcm \trcrc gooil imsons !?>I. it.""

'I'llc rci~sotrs for ~ norr-rcrrc\vi~I of t l~c C(orrIrn~&

'I'lrc I';~nploycr ntlributcs the rlorr-renownl of llre workcrs' conlrncts lo l l~c re-orgnnisntio!~

nntl Alrdil \vlricIr was u~rtlcrlokcrr bctwce~r Jirnt~itl-y 19'" to Jo~ltrnry 27"' 2004. We rrotc

thirt tlrc Autlit Rcl~orl was (Inlet1 1:el)nlnry 27'11, 2004, i ~ ~ r t l \VC accci~t ihnl, ns testified by

bollr \r~ilrlesscs for llrc I!~r~~~Ioyer, 111crc were o~rgoir~g ~ ~ S C I I S S ~ ~ ~ I I S OC~\VCCII IIIC l?tr~ploycr

i r ~ r t l llrc Corrs~rltnrrl rcltrtcti to Ihc Autlil whilc it wns bcit~g cnrricd ot~l. We nlso

ncktrowlctlgc l l r i~ t i l wns Mit~lngcrnenl's prc~agnlivc lo conrnrission tlrc Atrtlit irntl acccl)t

f11lly or pnrliolly or' tolitlly iglrorc irny lecorrrr~rcr~tli~lio~~s mirtle by llrc Consullnrrl 1n1t sillcc

t l~c Crctlil lJlrio11 plnccs rclialicc c~llcciirlly on lllc disa~ssio~ls hcltl tlurinf: Ihc Autlil r l ~ r t l

irlso or1 the wrillen Ileporl, ns ~.caso~ls for l l~c trorr-rcrrcwnl or llrc workers' co~rllacls, IIlc

Courl in hirvi~~g rcgortl to il~ose tliscr~ssiorrs nntl (Ire lleporl wo111tl expecl lo lilrd it cleirr

corr~rccliorr l)ctweer~ Ihc~n iirrtl the nclions of tlrc Errrl)loycr !rot lo rcrrcw llrc corrlri~cts.

1;rorll i~ revie\\' of' (Irc Autlil Rel)ort, we nrc u~rnblc to lirltl nr~y rcco~nmci~tli~lim wlriclr

cxl)rcssly slnles l l r i ~ t lltc two workcrs, or co~rlrt~cl workers in gc~rcritl, sl~otlltl l)c

ter~r~i~rirlctl. In fi~ct, the Corls\~ltfint in poinlirrg to two srrpcrvisors (,lot tile workers) \vlro

'r~tctlcv ~rornrnl circr~~rlstii~~ees, o ~ ~ g l t t !lot to form pnvL of tlrc icvlsctl tcrrnr' Iburlti llrnl

ill liglrt of tlreir long-stirrrtli~rg service thcp slrooltl not I)c sutnnrnrily dis~nissetl. Ile

cnulio~lctl tlrc Eml)loycr ll~nl il hi~tl !lot bl~ilt it cose of nor~-pcrfor~~~i~,~cc agnirrsl t l~c

er~lployecs rtr~tl as strch tlisrnissnl woultl bc ~)roblcrnntic. I lc s~rggcstctl nllrilicrrr iri so f i ~ r ns

thcir l~osilions were cor~ccr~rctl.

I ' 01) ci! nt p 286

01i ihc \vholc ns \vc glcnt~ fin111 llic Report's Coticl~tsion, its r c c o ~ ~ l ~ n c n d n l i o ~ ~ s \vcl.c it1 tlie

nntuln ol'lillure net ions for lolrg letli, survivnl o f l l le orgntiisnlion. 'Nlc co~iclusiot~ slates:

"If Illis orgnnisnlio~~ is l o sltrvive a11tl i~~t leet l 1)rosl)cr ill l l ~ c fi~lurc, scriol~s cot~sitlclalion sllotlltl l)e give11 to ll ie oBovc fi~itl ir igs : ~ t ~ l r ccorn~~~endnl io~~s. I nnl ovnilnblc l o f i ~ ~ l l i e r tliscttss ll i is r e l ~ o ~ t w i t l ~ tllc Uonrtl o f l)ircclors, will1 t i view lo moving 011 l o l l ic iml)lemcnlalio~r pl~nsc."

I<cporl not 011ly ~ C C ~ I I S C i t W~IS s~tbt l~i(ted iiner 1110 t e n l l i ~ ~ i ~ ~ i o ~ i letlers \were i ss~~c t l to I11c

\\,orken 11111 prinlnrily bcca~tsc i t co~~ln i t l s 110 rcco~nmcntl;~I io~~ not l o rctiew ll ieir cot~lrocis

'I'lic fi~itl it igs o f l l ic Rc l )u~ l on ilie cu~ren l orgi i t~ is i~ l io~~rr l s l r t~cluw revealctl t l~nt il wns

' I ~ c i ~ \ ~ i l p ~)roccss-t lr ivc~~' i ~ t ~ t l r c c o ~ i ~ ~ ~ i c t ~ ~ l n ~ i o ~ ~ s \vcrc IIIO~C FOr rcfotnt i t ~ c l ~ t d i ~ ~ g n IICIV

sInlc1111~c. It1 l l ~ e Pwlrosctl Slnlclt~rc, tlic two posilions l~e l t l By tile wo~kers wcrc o~ni l let l

bul i t docs tlol slnle l iow Illis ol?jcclivc is to l)c nchievetl sl~oult l l l lc l?~nploycr ncccpt the

rccot~in ie~i t ln l io~~, or give il litiie-kame for iti~plcmeritutiot~. T l ~ c c l im i t~ i~ l i oo o r l l lc

f i ~ t i c t i o ~ ~ s l iot l i l l lc prol)osetl s l ~ t t c l ~ ~ r c i/>sso ,fitclo, t~eed 1101 l ~ n v e rcs~~l te t l ill llie

l cnn inn l i o~~ o f l l ie \vorkcrs' sc~viccs. 'l'licre nrc i~ mt~~l l )er o r o l ) l i o~~s \ \~ l l i c l~ entl l)c

cxl)lorctl i n s11c11 it sccnitrio, inclut l i t~g rctlcl)loytnc~ll, t c l t i ~ i t ~ i ~ ~ g i l t l t l ~~I~~IICIIIIICIIL \)i~scd

on the 'losl ill firs1 oul' princil)le. N o cvitle~ice was put l~eforc t l ~ c COIIII l l ~ n t SIICII tlvetllles

were cxlIlorctl.

Will1 rcspecl l o l l lc d isc~lssio~~s lI1i1I look place will1 l l ic Consullant tlurillg ihc Autli l ant1

prior l o l l ic a1011iissiot1 o f tlic wril1c11 lopoll, 110 crctliblc evitlc~tcc was lctl lI1i11 showctl

l l lc disc~~ssions to be ollicr I l l n~ l o f n ~ ) r e l i i ~ ~ i ~ ~ n r y Ilnlllrc, it11 i1llc111p1 I)y M n ~ ~ n g c t ~ i c t ~ l lo

keep i~brcnsl o f l l ic prngress o f l l ~ e exercise. We find III~II bilsed OII l l lc A ~ t t l i l l l c p o ~ t ntltl

rclaletl tliscussions tllcrc was gooti reitsol1 for lllc (:retlil iJnio11 lo rcvie\v ils o~)crilIio~~s,

i~lclutlit~g its j ~ c r s o ~ ~ ~ ~ c l , bllt tile E~~lploycr l~irs lirilcd lo show t l ~ n l lllc exercise

~~ecessili~lctl l c r~ni~l i~ l io~~ of lllc workcw' ser\lices csl)ecii~lly bcSore Ihc wrilte~l fintli~~gs

irntl ~ ~ C O I I ~ I I I ~ I I ~ ~ ; I ~ ~ O I I S welt ill ils posscssio~~.

Ill lllc cuse of I l t i ~ ~ o ~ ~ r Pn~'ly.v~vOi~k~cy henrtl before lllc Civil Divisioll of lllc C:ourl of

A111)cill in l?~lgli~ntl, '~ wl~icl~ cot~ccmctl irtl cr~~ploycc l~irctl on n fixed tcl-111 co11lrnct ibr it

ycnr 1 ~ 1 l wllose job ceilseti lo exist i ~ s n res~tlt of n rcstrocluri~~g of tllc del)nl-llno~t i n

wllich silo worked prior lo 1110 exl)iry oS IIle conlracl, i t \\Ins llcltl that tllc necessary

reorgil~~isnlio~r of thc t lepn~~alc~~l wns n s~~bsln~~linl reilson of n killti lo Jl~slify tlis~l~issill

u~~tler secliot~ 57 (1) ol' lllc i!~nployt~~cr~l I1mteclion (Co~lsolitltrlion) Act, 1078, l)ut ll~al,

since l l~c c~~ll)loyers Iliitl ttlmirdy tlecitletl not lo rcncw l l~c cnlployee's conlriicl rind were

~ ~ s i t ~ g the reorgil~~isittiot~ of lllc tlcl)nrl~nc~~l 11s n prelexl for Itel tlisnlissnl, llle c~nploycrs

llntl nclctl u~~rcnsonnbly i n l l~c circ~~~~isii~nccs n ~ l t l illel-clbrc lllc tliso~issnl wns u~rlhir

will~in lllc ~ n c t ~ ~ ~ i n g of seclion 57 (3) of i l~e Acl.

'I'he Ni1111rc ofE~nl)lovces' Scrvicc

'I'he illlion l ~ n t l c l i ~ i ~ ~ ~ c t l Illat by applyi~~g the 'evnsivo lnl)el' ol'conlrncl workcn lo tllesc

ctnployces \vllo Ilatl been ieg~llnrly R I I ~ C O I ~ ~ ~ I I I I ~ I I S I Y e ~ ~ ~ ~ l o y e t l (in il 1111111ber o r YCAIS llle

C~ctlil Union was secki~lg lo nvoitl its obligntions lo illern orltl nlso ll~nl tllcg wcrc seeking

lo tlisguisc l l~e ei~ll)loyrlic~~I rclatio~~ship. 'I'lle tlocl~tnc~~tnry cvidc~)cc showetl lllnl 11oll1

workc~s l ~ n d been regulnrly e~~~l)loyctl, Ms. llntlgc Cootllnr fro111 1005 ilntl MIS. Wootls a1

lci~sl k o n ~ 1992. I'roln lllo tillie llley were olTeretl conl~ilcls ill 1998 ihew wcrc no brct~ks

ill ihcir service itntl Ihcp cilch cortli~l~~etl lo be c~~girgcd iil lllc l)crrou11;111cc ol' lllo d~lfics

for whicl~ tllcy were llirctl. As 111~fosl1111ntc as Ihc Crctlit ili~io~l's c ~ ~ l p l o y ~ l ~ c ~ ~ t 1)rncliccs

\ctc~c \vilh IIICSC \vorkers, (IIC Unior~'s c l n i ~ ~ ~ is 1101 sttpl)o~letl by the cvitlalcc. M n l ~ y o f l l ~ e

benclits 1)rovitlctl tlntlcr Illair co~~lrocls wcrc llle silme ns lllose sel 0111 i r ~ llrc Work Policy

nntl ill tttltlitior~, t l ~ e colltlncts c o ~ ~ l i ~ i ~ l e d a clallsc \\~llcrcBy M i ~ r r a g c ~ n c ~ ~ l rcsc~vetl l l lo right

lo adtl itdtlilior~al bc~ lc f i~s . Mr. (it~atlclotrl)e also leslilietl Ihal Ms. Ratlgc Coolt~nr wns

give11 a contmct so l l ~ n t she co l~ l t l loceivc grcalcr bcr~cfils.

I l e d t ~ ~ ~ t l a t ~ c y -

'I'llc l i ~ ~ ~ l ) l o y c r ditl ~ l o t raise lire rnntlcr o l 's~~r l ) lus InBour i n its writlen l!vitlc~~ce a ~ l t l

Argt~mcrrls. Ilowcvcr, Mr. ( i t ~ n t l c l o u ] ~ ~ i n his ovitlcrlce put llris fo~\vard as IIIC ~CRSOII for

Ilro l e r~~~ i r rn l i on o f tile worken' services. I l c snitl l l lc silualion nmsc ot11 o f l l ~ e tlisctlssior~s

will1 l l lc COIIS~IIIIIIII. If Ill is \verc IIIC CLISC l11e11 l l ~ e l?r~il)loycr sl~otrltl IILIVC c o ~ ~ s ~ ~ l l c t l l l ~ c

U11ior1 sirlcc IIC c l i ~ i r ~ ~ e t l 'four or. l ive' persons werc surplus lo Il lc Crctlil IJtrion. 'l'l~o

UII~~II llns 1)rovitletl II~III~S o f pcwons c~~r))loyctl subseqtrc~~l l o l l le II~II-rer~ewnl of' (Ile

workcrs' c0111racIs nlltl tllc lirnl)loyer hils 1101 tlerlietl Illis c l i ~ i ~ n . In the c i rc t r~~~s ln~~ces, the

I.:r~~l)loycr lrns not eslablisl~cd n cnsc IIlnl l l~cre was sug)l\~s Iaboul. orr Fcbrt~nry 13, 2004,

l l ~ c tlnle o f 1110 lellcrs of' t can i t l~ l i o r~ R I I ~ \ve SO 11oId. A1111o11gl1 I11c U t l i o ~ ~ rnisctl tllc

qt1n111n ol'lllc tcrrr~inal ber~efils pilid lo l l ~ c workers, we rni~kc no lintl ing or1 (his sitice we

tlo 1101 i~ccel)t t l r i~ l or^ ~IIC cv i t l c~~cc tiley wcrc lertninatetl by virluc o f reduntlil~lcy.

'I'hc f o u l ~ t l n l i o ~ ~ o f l l lc lirnl)loycr's acl iot~ it1 l ~ o t rer~ewing lllc workers' cor~trncls i~tlvnncetl

I I ~ n ~ u g l ~ o u l t l ~ i s tlisputc i s the Autlit n l ~ t l cliscossior~s r c l n t i ~ ~ g to it, w l ~ i c h look place prior

to s u b ~ ~ l i s s i o ~ ~ of ihc Rcl)orl, Ilowcvcr, we f i r l t l lhat 011 the w l~o lo o f tlte f i~cls ant1

cvitlerlce, tile l?tnploycr had riot l lo t l llrc be~ lc l i l o f ihc f i~~d ings nlld r c c o ~ ~ ~ ~ u e r ~ t l n l i o ~ ~ s o f

l l le Alrtl i l at tllc time il look l l lc tlccisio~r 1101 to re-erl~ploy i l lc workers. Ft~rllrcr, the Autl i l

Iteport co l~ la i r~s r ~ o rcco~nrner~tl i t t io~~s ihat the workcrs or any olhcr workc~s sl~otrltl 11;lve

bcco t e r ~ ~ ~ i t ~ i ~ l e d , T l ~ c r c wcrc no r c c o r ~ ~ ~ ~ t c ~ ~ t l a l i o ~ ~ s sl)ccific in pos i t i o~~s filled by workers

on co~~ t r t~c t , 11or that suclt contlacts sl~ould ttot bc rct~cwed. Not o t ~ l y were IIle workers

~ t ~ c r t ~ b c w of I l ~ c b i ~ r g o i i t i ~ ~ g ~ ~ r r i t for w l ~ i c h negotii~liot~s wcrc o ~ t g o i ~ t g li>r l l le first

collcclivc agrcc~netll, b111 tlley wcrc on tllc Union's Ncgot i i~ t i t~g Team wltcn len~tit~irletl.

I n tllc circut~~sti~nces, we f i t l t l t l ~ c IIOII ~III~I~O~IIICII~ o f IIICSC IWO i or kc^.^ nner tke

expiration o f theit. contracts 011 Pcbn~tlry 28, 2004, lo be 11nrsI1 iltltl o~)))ressivc and 1101 it1

m e couwa nrcclslalu

0 1 1 l l lc wllolc o f tllc c\~idet~ce and for Ihc irasons givett by thc Coi~r t i111t1 ill nccortla~lcc

wi lh equity, gootl collscicncc, the sultstn~tti i~l ntcrils o f l l lc case, 11nvi11g regilrtl to tile

~~ t i~ tc i l ) l es i ~ t l t l ~ ~ m c l i c c s o f good i t ~ d t ~ s t ~ i a l rclntiolts, the it~tcresls o f l l lc persons

inlntctlintcly conccrlled alltl the coln~nunily CIS i~ wl~olc, wc hcrcby ortlcr the Crctlit Uttiotl

to re-onploy tltc workets in l tosi t io~~s c o t ~ ~ ~ t l c ~ ~ s ~ ~ r z ~ t c willt tltcir cxltericncc i ~ l d

cl~ci~li l icnlio~ls, wit11 cffcct ~OIII July 1, 2005, sol~jccl to the corttlitio~t tltnt Il lc workers itre

to be co~nl)ensittctl for l l ic pcriotl t l ~ e y were irway fxot~~ work as it result o f tllcir d is~i~iss i l l

as Ibllo\vs:

a. MY. Ilntlgc CCootnar - $22,200.00 a ~ ~ t l

I). Wootls -$3 1,350.00.

Both ol'lllcse Ortlcw t1111st be cffcctetl t ~ o t later ~IIIIII July 15, 2005.

I l e ~ ~ t l ~ c l ' Scnlc, Rle11111cr