While the Government has been spending up big on a multi-million dollar advertising campaign to try and reinvent it’s unfair workplace laws, the Workplace Ombudsman has been slow to act on a local employees complaint.
A local Canberra casual employee, Jessica Shepherd, lodged a complaint with the then Office of Workplace Services on the 9th November 2006, claiming that she was being forced to sign an AWA by her employer Serco Sodexho.
It has taken the Workplace Ombudsman over 9 months to decide to prosecute in this matter, filing the case in the Federal Court only two weeks ago.
“I strongly support the Workplace Ombudsman’s decision to prosecute in this matter, but it has already taken far too long and the matter has only just been filed” Senator Lundy said.
“The multi-million dollar Government funded ads certainly give employees the impression that justice will be swift. However, as this case shows, the process is long and ongoing” Senator Lundy continued.
“I am disappointed that while the Government has been sinking millions of taxpayers dollars into an advertising campaign, people like Misss Shepherd have not had their complaints dealt with in a timely manner by the Workplace Ombudsman.”
“This matter has received media attention because Jessica has been brave enouogh to speak out about her unfair workplace experiences. While this matter is going to be prosectuted by the Workplace Ombudsman, unfortunately many more cases that don’t get media attention seem to go unprosecuted”, Senator Lundy concluded.
Contact: Rachel Allen – 6230 0411 or 0418 488 295
