Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing & Kindred Industries Union & Ors v Australian Dried Fruit Sales Pty Ltd (t/as Sunbeam Foods) [1997] FCA 931

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

INDUSTRIAL LAW - TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT - UNLAWFUL TERMINATION - OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS -CONDUCT AND PERFORMANCE - OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND - AWARD - employer and union had agreement that seniority principle apply to seasonal REDUNDANCY - employer purported to change practice to skills - whether an implied term of EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT - parties remained in dispute - matter referred to the AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION - terminations proceeded on basis of skills without resolution of dispute and without consultation with individual employees - whether VALID REASON - REMEDY - REINSTATEMENT.

Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) ss170DC, 170DE, 170EA, 170EE, 170MA Nettlefold v Kym Smoker Pty Ltd (1996) 69 IR 370 Mahmud v Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA [1997] 3 WLR 95 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd. (1995) 131 ALR 422 Re Cram; Ex Parte NSW Colliery Proprietors' Association Ltd (1987) 163 CLR 117 Woods v W M Car Services (Peterborough) Ltd [1982] ICR 693 Quality Bakers of Australia Ltd v John Goulding (1995) 60 IR 327 Kenefick v Australian Submarine Corporation Pty Ltd (No.2) (1996) 65 IR 366; (No. 3) (unreported, Industrial Relations Court of Australia, Wilcox CJ, 26 July 1996) Thomas v Lynch(1996) 71 IR 307 Perrin v Des Taylor Pty Ltd (1995) 58 IR 254 Anthony Smith & Associates Pty Ltd v Sinclair (1996) 67 IR 240 AFMEPKIU and MARCON, KELLY, JEANES, MOTT, LEERSON and PASCALE v AUSTRALIAN DRIED FRUITS SALES PTY LTD (trading as SUNBEAM FOODS) VI 1042, VI 1043, VI 1044, VI 1045, VI 1046, VI 1047 all of 1997

Before: MURPHY JR Place: MELBOURNE (Heard in MILDURA) Date: 11 SEPTEMBER 1997

IN THE FEDERAL COURT GENERAL DISTRIBUTION OF AUSTRALIA VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY

VI 1042 of 1997

BETWEEN: AUTOMOTIVE, FOOD, METALS, ENGINEERING, PRINTING AND KINDRED INDUSTRIES UNION and EMILIA MARCON Applicants