Gillies and Ors v Health Administration Corporation and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 243

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales in Court Session

CITATION : Gillies and Ors v Health Administration Corporation and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 243 Matter Number IRC 5497 OF 2000 KEVIN GILLIES Applicant HEALTH ADMINISTRATION CORPORATION First Respondent WESTERN SYDNEY AREA HEALTH SERVICE Second Respondent

Matter Number IRC 5498 of 2000 KENNETH DARVALL CROCKER Applicant HEALTH ADMINISTRATION CORPORATION First Respondent NORTHERN SYDNEY AREA HEALTH SERVICE Second Respondent

PARTIES : Matter Number IRC 5499 of 2000 GREGORY JOHN DRIVER First Applicant KEITH HORNSHAW Second Applicant HEALTH ADMINISTRATION CORPORATION First Respondent SOUTH WESTERN SYDNEY AREA HEALTH SERVICE Second Respondent

Matter Number IRC 5500 OF 2000 CHRISTOPHER BENTLEY Applicant HEALTH ADMINISTRATION CORPORATION First Respondent WENTWORTH AREA HEALTH SERVICE Second Respondent FILE NUMBER: IRC 5497, 5498, 5499 and 5500 of 2000 CORAM: Schmidt J CATCHWORDS : Unfair contracts - NSW Health Service - private use of motor vehicles - contract of employment unilaterally altered by employers - amount of deductions from salaries increased without employees' consent - operation of employers' policies considered - effect of agreement with unions considered - right to do so upon giving notices considered - unfairness of 1998 policy - contracts found to be unfair - contracts to be varied - parties to confer on appropriate terms of the variation to each contract and resulting money orders - interest - respondents' to bear applicants' cost as agreed or assessed LEGISLATION CITED : Health Services Act 1997 Industrial Relations Act 1996 Bourke Air Charter v Easton (2001) 109 IR 443 Brown v Rezitis (1970) 127 CLR 157 Burdett-Coutts and Ors v Hertfordshire County Council [1984] IRLR 92 Burgess & Ors v Mount Thorley Operations Pty Limited (2002) 115 IR 13 Gough v Gilmour Holdings v Caterpillar (No 13) [2003] NSWIRComm 26 Mitchforce v Industrial Relations Commission & Ors (2003) NSWCA 151 CASES CITED : Newton v Goodman Fielder Mills Ltd (1997) 81 IR 227 New South Wales Nurses' Association v South Western Sydney Area Health Service (1994) NSWIRComm 147, 8 December 1994 Nordby v Barclays Australia Investment Services Limited and Anor (1993) 53 IR 319 Rigby v Ferodo Ltd (1998) ICR 29 Riverwood International Australia Pty Ltd v McCormick (2000) 177 ALR 193 Stevenson v Barham (1977) 136 CLR 190 Westfield Holdings v Adams (2002) 114 IR 241 HEARING DATES: 05/19/2003; 05/20/2003; 05/21/2003; 05/22/2003; 05/22/2003; 06/26/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 08/12/2003