1

INDUSTRIALCOURTOFQUEENSLAND

IndustrialRelationsAct1999-s.341(1)-appealagainstthedecisionoftheindustrialcommission

QueenslandChamberofCommerceandIndustryLimited,IndustrialOrganisationofEmployers

ANDJudyModistach(C/2005/89)

PRESIDENTHALL / 27April2006

DECISION

ThisisanAppealagainstadecisionoftheQueenslandIndustrialRelationsCommissionnowreportedat180QGIG905. ThedecisionwasabouttheinterpretationoftheLaundryWorkersAward-State(ExcludingBrisbane)-2003("theAward"). The"QuestionforInterpretation"hasbeenidentifiedasfollows:

"Thequestioniswhethertheprovisionofclause6.1(Hoursofwork)andinparticularclause6.1.1(c)(Spreadofordinaryworkinghours)appliestocasualemployees(clause4.3)workingonaSaturday,inthecontextoftheawardasawhole.".

The"RelevantFacts"weresaidtobe:

"1.MsJudithModistachhasbeenemployedasacasuallaundryemployeeonaregularbasesforover10yearstothecurrenttimebyKilcoyLaundry.

2.Shegenerallyworkedthreeandahalfdaysaweek(everyyear,excludingholidaysandotherleave)everyweek(i.e.3fulldaysTuesdaytoThursdaysandabout5hoursonFridays)andafifthday,aSaturday(averagingabout7.5hours)everysecondweek.

3.Onthebasisofadvicereceivedfromtheiraccountants,theemployer,KilcoyLaundry,paidMsModistach(andothercasualemployees)ordinarytimeforworkonSaturdays(wheretheirweeklyhoursover5dayswerelessthan38).

4.Iftheanswertothequestionis'yes',MsModistachcouldhavebeenpaidatovertimeratesonSaturday,notwithstandingthefactthatsheworkedlessthan38hoursperweek. Iftheansweris'no',MsModistachhasbeencorrectlypaidforworkonSaturdays.

5.Thepartiesagreethattheclausesthatmayhavesomerelevancetotheinterpretationare:

Clause4.1-EmploymentCategories;

Clause4.2-PartTimeEmployment;

Clause4.3-CasualEmployment;

Clause6.1-Hoursofwork;and

Clause6.4-Overtime.

6.Thepartiesagreethatonaprima-faciereadingofCommissionerAsbury'sdecisionon23April2001(inDepartmentofEmploymentTrainingandIndustrialRelationsANDEnrightBrothersPtyLtd-CaseNo.W18of2001)thatthefactthatthecasualclause4.3perseissilentonthematterdoesnotprecludetheanswerfrombeing'yes'. Thepartiescannot,however,agreeonthesignificanceofotherclausesoftheAward(outsideofclause4.3)whichsuggestthattheansweris'no'.

7.TheDIRpositionisthatMiss(sic)ModistachshouldhavebeenpaidatovertimeratesforSaturdays. TheQCCIbelievesthatMissModistachhasbeencorrectlypaidattheordinarytimecasualrateforworkonSaturdays.

8.She(sic)partiesbelievethatthesubmissionsofbothpartieswouldbeaccommodatedwithin2to3hoursofhearing.".

Withrespecttotheparties,thepleadingswerelessthansatisfactory. PutasidethatthereferencetoClause6.1.1(c)inthe"QuestionforInterpretation"isprobablyareferencetoclause6.1.1(b),thequestiondoesnotfocusattentionontheconsequenceofanaffirmativeanswer. ThequestionwhichshouldhavebeenaskedwaswhetherMsModistachwasentitledtopaymentatovertimeratesforthetimeshehadworkedonSaturdays.

TheCommission's"Conclusion"was:

"Theanswertothequestionis'yes',thatis,clause6.1(Hoursofwork)andinparticularclause6.1.1(c)(Spreadofordinaryworkinghours)appliestocasualemployees(clause4.3)workingonaSaturday,inthecontextoftheAwardasawhole.".

ItisconvenienttocommencewiththeAwardclausesdealingwith"casualemployment"andwith"overtime".

"Casualemployment"isdealtwithatclause4.3oftheAwardwhichprovides:

"4.3Casualemployment

4.3.1Acasualworker,thatisapersonwhoisemployedforlessthan38hoursinanyoneweek,shallbepaid25%inadditiontotheratesofwagesprescribedbyclause5.1foremployeesemployedwithinthatDistrict.

4.3.2Casualemployeeswhoworkaminimumof4consecutiveordinaryhoursbutlessthan8consecutiveordinaryhoursonanyonedayshallreceivearestpauseof10minutes'duration.

4.3.3Part-timeemployeeswhoworkaminimumof8consecutiveordinaryhours(excludingthemealbreak)shallbeentitledtothesamerestpausesasprescribedinclause6.3,forweeklyemployees.".

"Overtime"isdealtwithatclause6.4oftheAwardwhichprovides:

"6.4Overtime

6.4.1Alltimeworkedinexcessof38hoursperweekor8perdayoroutsidethespreadofordinaryworkinghoursoroutsideanemployee'sordinaryhoursofduty,shallbedeemedovertimeandshall,exceptashereinafterprovided,bepaidforattherateoftimeanda-halfforthefirst3hoursonanyonedayanddoubletimethereafter:

ProvidedthatifemployeesarecalledupontoworkovertimecommencingonSaturdaytheyshallbepaidattherateoftimeanda-halfforthefirst3hoursanddoubletimethereafterwithaminimumof2hoursworkorpaymenttherefor:

Providedfurtherthatallovertimeworkedbyshiftworkersshallbepaidforattherateofdoubletime.

6.4.2AlltimeworkedonSundaysshallbepaidforatdoublerateswithaminimumof2hours'workorpaymenttherefor.

6.4.3Whereanemployeeisrequiredtoworkformorethan2hoursonanydaybeyondtheirordinaryfinishingtime,theyshallbeallowedabreakof30minutesforamealbeforeovertimeworkiscommencedandshallbepaidthesumof$7.50extraasteamoneyinadditiontoovertimerates:

Providedthatwheretheemployeehasbeennotifiedonthepreviousdaythattheemployeewouldberequiredtoworkovertimetheemployershallnotbeliableforthemealortheamountof$7.50foreachadditional4hoursovertimeworkedthereafter.".

Thedifferenceinlanguagebetweenclause6.4.2andthefirstprovisoatclause6.4.1isstark. AlltimeworkedonSundayistobepaidforatdoublerates. TimeworkedonaSaturdayattractspenaltyratesofpaymentonlyifthetimeworkedisovertime,i.e.theprovisodoesnotdefineSaturdayworktobeovertime. (Thereferenceto"commencingonSaturday"isplainlytoprotecttheinterestsofaworkerwhoworkssuchhoursonaFridaythats/heisentitledtopaymentatdoubletimeimmediatelybeforemidnightandwhocontinuesworkingaftermidnight.)

Plainlyenough,therewillbeoccasionsonwhichacasualemployeewillworkovertimecommencingonaSaturday. Forexample,acasualemployeemayperformmorethaneighthoursworkonaSaturday. Aregularcasualemployeemaywellworkoutsidehis/hernormalhoursofduty. (Onthe"RelevantFacts"thatwasnotthecasehere.) ButworkcommencedbyacasualonaSaturdaycannotbeovertimebecauseitisworkoutsidethe"spreadofordinaryworkinghours". Theconceptofordinaryhoursisexploredatclause6.1.1whichprovides:

"PART6-HOURSOFWORK,BREAKS,OVERTIME,SHIFTWORK,WEEKENDWORK

6.1Hoursofwork

6.1.1Dayworkers

(a)Subjecttoclause6.1.3,theordinaryhoursofworkforallemployeesshallbeanaverageof38perweek,tobeworkedononeofthefollowingbases:

(i)38hourswithinaworkcyclenotexceeding7consecutivedays;or

(ii)76hourswithin aworkcyclenotexceeding14consecutivedays;or

(iii)114hourswithinaworkcyclenotexceeding21consecutivedays;or

(iv)152hourswithinaworkcyclenotexceeding28consecutivedays.

(b)Theordinaryhoursofworkprescribedhereinmaybeworkedonnotmorethan5consecutivedaysinaweek,MondaytoFridayinclusive,subjecttothefollowing:

(c)Theordinaryhoursofworkprescribedhereinfordayworkersshallbeworkedcontinuously,exceptformealbreaksbetween6.00a.m.and6.00p.m:

Providedfurtherthatworkdoneoutsidethehoursof6.00a.m.to6.00p.m.shallbepaidatovertimeratesandwillbedeemedtobepartoftheordinaryhoursofworkforthepurposesofclause6.1.3.

(d)Thecommencingtimewithinthespreadofhoursmaybealteredbytheemployergivingatleast7daysnoticetoemployees:

Providedtheordinarystartingandfinishingtimesofvariousgroupsofemployeesorindividualemployeesmaybealteredorstaggeredsubjecttoagreementoftheemployerandthemajorityofemployees.

(e)Theordinaryhoursofworkprescribedhereinshallnotexceed10hoursanyday:

Providedthatwheretheordinaryworkinghoursaretoexceed8onanydaythearrangementofhoursshallbesubjecttotheagreementoftheemployerandthemajorityofemployeesinvolved.

(f)Theordinaryhoursforallemployeesengagedonweeklyhiringshallbeworkedaccordingtoarostershowingthestartingandfinishingtimeoneachdayandthesurnameandinitialsofeachemployee. ThestartingandceasingtimesforaparticulardayoftheweekMondaytoFridayinclusiveshallbethesameasfromweektoweek. Therostershallbepreparedbytheemployerandshallbepostedinaconspicuousplaceorplacesaccessibletotheemployeesconcerned. Suchrostershallbealterablebymutualconsentatanytimeorbythegivingofatlease7days'noticebytheemployertotheemployeeoremployeesconcerned.

Providedthathoursoutsidethosespecifiedinclause6.1.1maybeagreeduponinwritingbetweentheemployerandtherelevantofficer,oraUnion,forthepurposeofsuitingparticularlocalconditions.

(g)Theordinaryworkinghoursofshiftworkersshallbethoseprescribedbyclause6.5.".

Acasualworker,i.e.apersonwhoisemployedforlessthan38hoursinanyoneweek,cannotcontemporaneouslybeemployedononeoftheworkcyclesatclause6.1.1(a). Neitherclause6.1.1(b)norclause6.1.1(c)canbeseveredfromclause6.1.1(a)becausewhether"herein"istreatedasreferringtotheAwardortoclause6.1.1,thereisnoprescriptionofordinaryhoursotherthanthatatclause6.1.1(a).

InrelianceonthedecisionofthisCourtinAustralianRail,TramandBusIndustryUnionofEmployees,QueenslandBranchvBrisbaneCityCouncil(2003)174QGIG465,theCommissionwenttoidentificationofthepurposeoftheAwardasastartingpoint. ConsistentlywiththedecisioninQueenslandNurses'UnionofEmployeesvLongreachandDistrictAgedPeoplesInct/aPioneersHostel/NursingHome(No2)(2002)170QGIG2002,Iamcontenttoapplythatapproachtoacommonruleawardinthesamewaythatitisappliedtoanenterpriseorrespondencybasedaward. (Thereisanunresolveddebateaboutwhetheracommonruleawardshould,becauseofitsnature,betreatedaspre-emptive,systematicandcomprehensive.)

Iacceptthatontheapproachadopted,theprecursorsofthecurrentAwardandotherhistoryoftheAwardarelegitimateaidstoconstruction. Butthehistorywasnotaccurate. ItissufficienttogototheCommission'sdiscussionofthe1961versionoftheAward:

"In1961,theAwardwasamendedtoreducetheordinaryhoursofworkfrom44hoursperweekto40perweek. Inaddition,thenumberofdaysonwhichtheordinaryhourscouldbeworkedwasreducedfrom5½days(MondaytoSaturday)to5daysperweek(MondaytoFriday). AfurtheramendmentwasmadetoprovidethatalltimeworkedonaSaturdaywastobepaidasovertime. Nochangewasmadetothecasualprovisionmentionedabove. DIRsubmittedthatastherewasnostructuralchangetotheAward,theordinaryhoursandovertimeprovisionstillrelatedtobothweeklyandcasualemployees. AnycasualwhoworkedonaSaturdaywasworkingoutsidetheordinaryhours(clause3)andwasentitledtobepaidovertimeinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofclause4.". (Emphasisadded)

Nosuchamendmentwasmade. Asamendedtherelevantclausebegan:"Providedthatifemployeesarecalledupontoworkovertime,commencingonaSaturday...". Thesearchofthepost-1961materialsforanintentiontoremovethe"entitlement"ofcasualstoovertimeratesforSaturdayworkwasunavailingbecausethe"entitlement"wasnotunequivocallyacknowledgedtoexist. Thequestionofinterpretationwhicharoseinthismatterhasbeenawaitingananswerforaverylongtime.

InfairnesstotheCommission,IshouldaddthattheexercisetowhichthepartiestooktheCommissionwasflawed. ThehistoryoftheovertimeprovisionandspreadofworkclausescontainedintheAwardcannotbegleanedfromperusalofanawardfilealone. BoththeIndustrialConciliationandArbitrationAct1932andtheIndustrialConciliationandArbitrationAct1961establishedaregimeunderwhichawardsweredeemedtomakeprovisionforsuchmattersnolessgenerousthanastatuarystandard. Theearlyawardshavetobereadwiththestatutes. Indeed,thecurrentAwardprovisionaboutSundaywork,sofarfrombeing"loosedrafting",wasatonetimeastandarddraftingdevicetomeetastatutoryrequirementthatemployeeswerenottobeworkedonmorethansixoutofsevenconsecutivedays(unlesspaidatovertimerates).

Atfirstinstancemuchemphasiswasplacedupontheneedtoavoidunfairnessandinjusticetocasualemployees. Iacceptthatthereisthepotentialforabuseincasualemploymentandthatafairconstructionisalwaystobepreferredtoanunjustconstruction. Butinseekingouttheconstructionofanawardwhichwillbestenhanceitspurposeonemuststopshortofremedialconstructionwhichavoidstheneedforarbitralcorrection,comparethecommentsofDawsonJaboutstatutoryconstructioninMillsvMeekings(1990)91ALR16at31. Whatwassoughtherewasasteptoofar.

IallowtheAppeal. MsModistachwasnotentitledtopaymentatovertimeratesforthetimewhichsheworkedonSaturdays. Ifitbeofinterest,thecorrectanswertothe"QuestionforInterpretation"is"No".

OnematterIshouldmention. TheCommissionsummarisedthehistoryoftheproceedingsasfollows:

"TheapplicationhasitgenesisinaroutineinspectionundertakenbyIndustrialInspectorsoftheDepartmentofIndustrialRelations(DIR)atthepremisesofKilcoyLaundry. Asaresultofthatinspection,DIRcontendedthatacasualemployeeofKilcoyLaundry,JudyModistach,wasentitledtopaidovertimeratesforworkperformedonaSaturday. AstheemployerdidnotagreewiththeinterpretationofDIR,thematterinitiallycamebeforetheCommissionbywayofdisputenotificationD/2005/290. Whenconciliationwasunsuccessful,thepartiesagreedtoapplyforaninterpretationoftheAward. Intheinterpretationproceedings,DIRrepresentedMsModistach.

TheAustralianWorkers'UnionofEmployees,Queensland(AWU)washeardinrelationtotheapplicationinaccordancewiththeprovisionofPracticeNote7-WageandSuperannuationRecoveryApplications. Generally,theAWUsupportedthesubmissionsofDIR. WheretheAWUpartedcompanywithDIRwasinrelationtothemeaningofclause6.1.1oftheAward.".

ThereareunresolvedissuesaboutwhetheranindustrialinspectormayinitiateanindustrialdisputeaboutwagesandaboutwhetheraPracticeNotemaycreatearighttointerveneadditionallytotherightsundertheIndustrialRelationsAct1999. ThosematterswerenotpursuedontheAppeal. InthosecircumstancestheCourtexpresslyrefrainsfromprofferinganopiniononeitherissue.

Dated27April2006.

D.R.HALL,President.
Released: 27April2006 / Appearances:
MrA.HerbertdirectlyinstructedfortheAppellant.
MrC.MurdochinstructedbyCrownLawfortheRespondent.