Severance pay claimed

Press, 17 March 1982, Page 10

Severance pay claimed

Nine former workers seek $l2OO each from Meadow Mushrooms, Ltd, for al- . legedly being unjustifiably . dismissed. The case was heard by the Arbitration Court before Judge Castle. Mr W. B. Brown appeared for the Canterbury Labourers' Union and Mr P. Geoghegan for Meadow Mushrooms. Decison was reserved. The nine former employees, all women, said they were unjustifiably dismissed in December, 1980, because they were unable to start work at 6 a.m. after their 8.30 a.m. shift was abolished. The women believed they had an agreement to begin work at 8.30 a.m. and had all school holidays off without payThe women contend they

were unable to start work at 6 a.m. because of their domestic situations. Originally the company introduced a 6 a.m. start as well as keeping the 8.30 a.m. shift, but the company decided to drop the later shift. Mr G. M. Giles, managing director of Meadow Mushrooms, told the Court that by

picking two hours earlier the company was able to service all its markets better. Mr Giles also said he was trying to mould the staff into 49-week-of-the-year workers rather than having one group working during the school year, another at week-ends, and a third during the school holidays.