[ExtractfromQueenslandGovernmentIndustrialGazette,

dated17February,2006,Vol.181,No.7,pages229-230]

QUEENSLANDINDUSTRIALRELATIONSCOMMISSION

IndustrialRelationsAct1999- s.149 - applicationforarbitration

QueenslandNurses' UnionofEmployeesANDStVincents Hospital Toowoomba Limited (CA/2005/639)

COMMISSIONERBLADES / 3February2006

DECISION

FollowinguponaDirectionshearingearliertoday,Ihaveconsideredthesubmissionsoftheparties.

TheQueenslandNurses' UnionofEmployees(Union)seeksaDeterminationunders.149oftheIndustrialRelationsAct1999. Italsoseeksanearlyhearingdate. Itisallegedthatthehearingwillnottakelong. TherepresentativeforStVincentsHospitalToowoombaLimited(Respondent)didnotagreetotheearlyhearingandsuggeststhatthehearingwilltakesomedays.

Mostoftheitemsofanintendedcertifiedagreementhavebeennegotiated. Wagesremainoutstanding,althoughtheRespondentclaimsthatasignificantwageincreasemightresultinotheritemshavingtobeadjusted. TheRespondenthasalreadyagreedtopay3%from1July2005andanother3%from1July2006. TheUnionseekspublicsectorparity. Theagreementputtothevotewasrejectedby53votesto25votesoutofapossible381eligibletovote. TheRespondentclaimsaninabilitytopay.

Inthosecircumstances,IdeterminethattheUnionwillhavecarriageofthecase. ItistheUnion'sapplicationanditistheUnion'sdissatisfactionwiththewageratesofferedandalreadybeingpaid.

ThepartieshaveagreedthatthefirmBDOKendalls,onbehalfoftheUnion,willmeetwiththeRespondenttoinspectfinancialrecords. IthasbeenagreedthatMsMcCauloranyotherUnionadvocateneededtorunthecasewillalsobepresent. MsMcCaulhasagreedtostrictconfidentialityoftheinformationgleanedanditisaconditionthattheotheradvocatealsocometosuchanagreement. Themeetingistotakeplacebefore22February2006.

IhaveindicatedthatIamgreatlysympathetictosuppressionordersbeingmadeinrelationtofinancialevidenceanddocumentsandthoseorderswillbemadeattheappropriatetime.

ThehearingwilltakeplaceonFriday3March2006. AFurtherDirectionsOrderwillissueseparately. Letthepartiesbewarnedthatifthehearingdoesnotconcludeon3March2006,itwillhavetobeadjourneduntilatleastApriltocontinue.

B.J.BLADES,Commissioner.
HearingDetails:
20063February
Released: 3February2006 / Appearances:
MsG.McCaulfortheQueenslandNurses' UnionofEmployees.
MrG.Muir,EmployerServicesPtyLtd,withhimMessrsS.GordonandP.O'Sullivan,forStVincentsHospitalToowoombaLimited.

GovernmentPrinter,Queensland

TheStateofQueensland2006.