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Issue No. 355 | 01 December 2006 |
Seven Year Itch
Interview: Flying High Unions: TUF on Toll Industrial: Forward to the Past Economics: Debt and the Economy Obituary: The Charlatanry of Milton Friedman Environment: Low Voltage Legal: The Fair Deal Review: A Little History
Global Campaign for Jailed Iranian Union Leader Bully Tactics Can�t Dull Protests Which Bank Slashes Work Rights? Sunday�s The Day For Future Rallies Case Dismissed: No Justice in WorkChoices China (S)trains Procurement Policy Historic Case Restores Security Final Hurdle for Medibank Sell-Off
The Soapbox Parliament Health
Boss With a Heart
Labor Council of NSW |
News Historic Case Restores Security
The LHMU Security Union won its largest prosecution in the Brisbane Magistrates Court against Quest Security and its executive officer Steve Jackson for more than $330,000. Brisbane Magistrate Ehrich fined Jackson and Quest Security $127,200 for 53 separate offences, ordered they pay almost $200,000 in unpaid wages and superannuation and a further $3,500 in court costs. On default, Jackson faces the seizure and sale of his assets. On further default, he could face up to four and a half years in jail. Many employees suffered extreme financial hardship unable to pay rent, home and car loan repayments. Some even forced to borrow money from family and friends just to make ends meet. Former employee, Nathan Applebee, told the court he couldn't afford petrol to get to work and regular payments from his bank account bounced costing even more in dishonour fees. "I used to be able to take my wife out to dinner and the movies, but that had to stop," he said. Queensland LHMU Branch Secretary Ron Monaghan says the record prosecution highlighted the dangers facing lower-paid workers and the support they can find through being part of a strong union. "These guys worked without being paid and their loyalty was repaid with nothing," Monaghan says. "There is no way they could have taken this action to recover their pay by themselves and it would have cost them tens of thousands of dollars to hire a solicitor to do it for them."
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