Helmut Schuster v Australian Steel Mill Services Pty [2011] NSWIRComm 1028

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Helmut Schuster v Australian Steel Mill Services Pty [2011] NSWIRComm 1028 Hearing dates: 10 May 2011 Decision date: 30 June 2011 Jurisdiction: Industrial Relations Commission Before: Connor C Decision: Reinstatement of a dismissed employee ordered. Retrospectivity on lost wages declined. Catchwords: DISMISSAL - steelworks - application for reinstatement - referral of an industrial dispute - jurisdiction to determine claims of unfair dismissal - established safety procedure - serious breach of safety - failure to follow established isolation procedure - whether dismissal harsh in the circumstances - past satisfactory employment taken into account in determining the matter - reinstatement ordered - payment for loss of wages declined Legislation Cited: Industrial Relations Act 1996 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Federal Fair Work Act 2009 Federal Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005 Cases Cited: Abbott and Markham v BlueScope Steel (AIS) Pty Limited [2007] NSWIRComm 1087 Australian Workers Union v Transfield Services (Australia) Pty Limited [2008] NSWIRComm 1120 Busways v Johnson (1994) 55 IR 325 Coal and Allied Mining Services Pty Limited v Lawler [2011] FCAFC 54 Farrugia v BHP Steel Limited - unreported Homebush Abattoir Case (1966) AR 371 Jovanovski v BlueScope Steel (AIS) Pty Limited [2007] NSWIRComm 1019 Lawrence v Coal and Allied Mining Services Pty Limited, trading as Mt Thorley Operations/Warkworth [2010] FWAFB 10089 Laws v London Chronicle (Indicator Newspapers) Limited (1959) 2 All ER 285 Metropolitan Meat Industry Board v Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (1973) AR 231 Pacific Power v Crump (1993) 48 IR 296 Roberts v Mona Vale District Hospital (1975) 2 NSWLR 132 Woolstar Pty Limited v Federated Storemen and Packers Union of Australia (1992) 45 IR 39 Zdraveski v BlueScope Steel Limited [2008] NSWIRComm 1028 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Helmut Schuster (Applicant)