Protecting jobs through industrial representation

When your livelihood is at risk, having your union in your corner can make all the difference. In this case, union representation helped challenge an unfair process and ultimately protected a member's employment.

Following union industrial support intervention, a member retained their employment after being required to respond to allegations in a process where termination was a clear possibility.

Throughout the matter, The Services Union's Industrial Officers engaged extensively with the employer and strongly challenged the basis on which the process was being pursued.

A key issue raised by the Union was the majority of the concerns identified by the employer were performance-related matters that should have been addressed through appropriate support, coaching and performance management processes, rather than disciplinary action with potential termination outcomes.

Our Union highlighted that the member had not previously been provided with a genuine opportunity to address the concerns raised before the matter escalated. We also identified significant procedural fairness issues, including failures to follow established workplace processes, reliance on subjective assessments, and a lack of appropriate performance management measures.

The Services Union made clear that any decision to terminate the member's employment would be vigorously challenged.

Following sustained advocacy and detailed submissions from our Union, the employer withdrew from pursuing termination and agreed to an alternative resolution.

This outcome represented a significant shift from the employer's initial position and ensured the member remained employed in their workplace of over two decades.

No one expects to face a potential termination process, but when they do, having a union behind them can make all the difference. That's the value of union membership—protection, representation and peace of mind when your job is on the line.

Please call Services Connect if you need need to speak to an experienced Industrial Officer at TSU: (07) 3844 5300.