Sunil Dissanayake and State Transit Authority of New South Wales [2016] NSWIRComm 1010

Industrial Relations Commission New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Sunil Dissanayake and State Transit Authority of New South Wales [2016] NSWIRComm 1010 Hearing dates: 9 June 2015 Decision date: 18 March 2016 Jurisdiction: Industrial Relations Commission Before: Stanton C Decision: Summary dismissal harsh. Compensation ordered. Catchwords: Termination of employment – summary dismissal – alleged harsh, unjust and unreasonable termination – reinstatement sought – failure to perform a specific work instruction to tension wheel nuts – breach of maintenance and safety procedures – previous final warning for safety breach – purpose of warnings considered – applicant alleged he was not advised of revised maintenance procedures – clear and unambiguous instructions set out in relevant vehicle service work order – consideration whether dismissal harsh, unreasonable or unjust – applicant afforded procedural fairness – applicant's alleged conduct serious breach of vehicle maintenance and safety procedures – summary dismissal not a disproportionate response by State Transit – dismissal not unreasonable or unjust – consideration whether dismissal harsh – loss of accrued benefits due to summary dismissal and applicant's age and difficulty in obtaining alternative employment considered – dismissal harsh – reinstatement impractical – compensation ordered. Legislation Cited: Industrial Relations Act 1996 Cases Cited: Antonakopoulos v State Bank (1999) 91 IR 385 Buckman v Burdekin (1998) 85 IR 415 Byrne & Anor v Australian Airlines Limited [1995] HCA 24; (1995) 61 IR 32 Corrective Services NSW v Danwer [2013] NSWIRComm 61 Franklins Ltd v Webb (1996) 72 IR 257 Humphries v Cootamundra Ex-Services and Citizen's Memorial Club Ltd [2003] NSWIRComm 211 Little v Commissioner of Police (No 2) (2002) 112 IR 212 at [88] McLean v Tedman [1984] HCA 60; (1984) 155 CLR 306. At [12] Najdov and Macedonian Australian Welfare Association of Sydney Inc [2004] NSWIRComm 101 Outboard World Pty Ltd v Muir (1993) 51 IR 167 Plummer v Stannard Bros Launch Service [2005] NSWIRComm 301 R v Darling Island Stevedoring and Lighterage Co Ltd; Ex parte Halliday and Sullivan 142 [1938] HCA 44; (1938) 60 CLR 601 Riley v Workcover Authority [2006] NSWIRComm 108 at [94] Category: Principal judgment Parties: Mr S Dissanayake – Applicant