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Cartoon by Harry Bruce
(The Bakers Creek meatworks is a Japanese company owned by Nippon Meatpackers)
Click here for the OUTCOME of this dispute
Toilet-time penalty sparks dispute
Meat Union says:
It stinks
By Adam Wratten
SOME Bakers Creek meatworkers were losing pay for taking toilet breaks, union sources said yesterday.
About 160 tally workers in the boning, slicing and slaughterhouse sections at Thomas Borthwick and Sons meatworks are losing about $3.65 for 10 minutes spent in the toilet.
Union members plan to fight the company's decision.
Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) industrial officer Lee Norris yesterday confirmed a dispute notification had been filed with the commissioner.
"There has been a dispute notification issued with the industrial relations commission in relation to toilet deductions," Mr Norris said from
Brisbane.
A union source at the Bakers Creek site said workers met on Wednesday to decide their response to the wage deduction.
The source, who did not want to be named, said the ruling was affecting both male and female workers.
He said the company was not losing any production because when a worker went to the toilet someone else filled in.
"We want to do it (go to the commission) as soon as possible, we are confident the company will have to refund the money," he said.
"(When) people are going to the toilet two or three times ... it mounts up. One person lost about $14."
The source said foremen were keeping a check of how long workers spent in the toilet.
"The foreman takes the time when (they) go and when (they) come back. We are not very happy at all," he said.
Thomas Borthwick and Sons meatworkers general manager Roy van Nesch was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Meanwhile, Australian Manufacturing Workers union organiser Darren Trask said if the company was allowed to dock workers for toilet breaks it could set a dangerous precedent in the workplace.
The Daily Mercury (Mackay) Friday 29/11/2002
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Docking workers loo-dicrous
IT was unfair to dock workers money for spending time in the toilet, Mackay people said yesterday.
The Daily Mercury yesterday took to the city's streets and spoke to six residents about the decision of management at Thomas Borthwick and Sons meatworks to dock wages for time spent in the toilet.
Earlier this week, union sources said they had notified the industrial relations commission after some workers lost part of their wage based on the length of time they took for toilet breaks.
All of the people the paper spoke to yesterday said it was unfair.
Most said management should have found a different solution to the problem.
Meatworks general manager Roy van Nesch yesterday said there were about 35 workers who were consistently spending too long in the toilet (see story this page).
Minna Olive, of Mackay, said it was up to management to find an alternative way to control the length of time workers spend on breaks each day.
"Going to the toilet is a personal thing and this move is bordering on an invasion of privacy," Ms Olive said.
Julie Willmott said it was worrying that many managers were thinking more about their profit margins than the humans working for them.
"It is becoming rude the way they are not thinking about humans," Ms Willmott said.
She said many workers only had half an hour for lunch.
"By the time you have had some food and a drink, you can't fit the toilet in. You need some time to relax."
Chantelle Kozic said: "If you need to go to the toilet you shouldn't have to pay for it. (But) there should be a time limit of how long you go."
Bree Chappell said most workers were genuine and did not try to abuse the system.
Michael Sheehan said it was hyprocritical of management to dock workers for toilet breaks when many managers often took long lunch breaks themselves.
Justin Evans said management and the workers should work together to come to a fair resolution.
The Daily Mercury (Mackay) Saturday 30/11/2002
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Boss lifts lid on issue
SOME meatworkers were being docked because they abused toilet break allowances, Thomas Borthwick and Sons meatworks general manager Roy van Nesch said yesterday.
Mr van Nesch said workers were allowed breaks totalling an hour and 21 minutes in an eight-hour, 51-minute day.
"In the past, it was never ever a concern for the company because it was only just sporadic that occasionally someone was caught short, for want of a better word," Mr van Nesch said.
"But over the last month, this has increased and now after keeping records of it, we find that there's usually 30 to 35 people ... that keep finding themselves caught short ... on a daily basis."
Mr van Nesch said most of the errant employees worked in the meatworks' boning room.
He said he had met with the union over the issue and had encouraged them to take it to the AIRC for a hearing.
"If the union wasn't going to do it, I was going to do it," he said.
The Daily Mercury (Mackay) Saturday 30/11/2002
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