Have TSU Members been underpaid at Bundaberg Regional Council?

Bundaberg Regional Council identified a potential underpayment late last year and notified The Services Union.

Under the Certified Agreement (CA), meal breaks must be paid if they occur during the 6th hour of work. If an employee is not permitted to take a paid meal break during this period, they must be paid double time for all work performed until a paid meal break is taken or until the end of the day.

We have been advised this issue primarily affects Field Employees (excluding Stream A employees) who start before 7:00am and take lunch breaks at or after 12:00pm. However, we are also seeking to identify any Stream A employees who may have been impacted.

This may apply where an unpaid meal break occurs more than five hours after the start time, for example:

• 6:30am start, lunch after 11:30am
• 7:00am start, lunch after 12:00pm
• 8:00am start, lunch after 1:00pm

It is important that all affected members across the organisation are identified and properly compensated. If your work pattern meant meal breaks were not provided or paid in accordance with the CA, we encourage you to come forward.

Council has engaged an external auditor to investigate and quantify any underpayments, with backpay to be calculated for up to six years from when the issue was identified. While Council has indicated this affects Field Employees, supervisors of outdoor workers and others may also have been impacted.

We want to ensure no affected employee is overlooked. If you believe you may have been impacted, please contact: Steve Duncan-Rice – [email protected] or one of the following delegates:

Darby Barkle – [email protected]

Scott Irwin – [email protected]

Dan Heaton – [email protected]

Jasmine Spencer – [email protected]

If you are aware of any colleagues who may have been affected but are not yet members, they can join the union here