Ballarino v Austral Honda [1998] QIRC 93 (1998) 157 QGIG 171

170 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE 13 March, 1998 13 March. 1998 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE 171 //###########################-############################## QLl:1::\SLA:\I) INDUSTRIAL RF.I.ATIO'-iS COMMISSION lndusll'it1! Relwions Ar1 199/i -,, 29.5 - appli,a1inn for rcin:-.1;,itcmcnt Dante Ballarino AND Au,1ral Honda /No. 11172! of/996) COMMISSIONER EDWARDS '.!5 Fehruary 1998 Tcrmi1wtil)fl of Employrni:nt - Di�mi�sal Reinstatement - Evidence - Wnr� l'crfnnnanec -- Counselling .. Warning Letter, - Allcgalic>ns - Opponu11i1, tll Rcpond and Improve -- Emplover/Employcs: Kdatinn,hip - D,,111,"al Not llar,h. U,11u,t nr L:nrcas,mahlc - Appli(alion i-::�ru�d. DECISION Thi, i., an appli,·ation hy D,mle Kallannn fnr rc111,1awmcnt to his former po,ition nf Salc,1x:rson with Austral Hond.i of" Fonitudc Vall��-- Bri,lxmc· under Pari 12 I )i1·ision � of the /Ju/11.,1riol Nelmions /Irr /990. Mr Ballarino·s expcri�nc<! in 1hc inotnr imlusiry co\"cr, aprroximatd) 47 year� a� rullo\-\.'\:- 19.50-1963 Apprwtkc Mott1r Mc(hmii, lo Lc;iding Hand Mc.:hanic with C.G. Hcn,krst>n P1y Ltd. St1ll1t> Corner: 196J--J91{0 Service En�inecr wi1h RMC Au,aralia Lttl and prn.L'l·c,,c'<l 10 Stal<: Scrvk..: Manager fnr th� Leyland Motor Corporation of 1\u,trali� supervi�ing a •aaff of apprnxiniatd)' 50 personnel: l '-!80-1996 Sales Excrntivc with Au,t-Star Motor, and assist eel 10 c,.,tabli,:h I.he· Hon<la Franchise. Mana;w<l the <lcalcr,hip until I 9XX when the Austral Group wa, taken over hy tilt' AP Grour and lheir own !\ifanag�r appointed. \Vork�tl a, a Sales Con,ullam when employment was tcnninatcd on 11 September 1996. Othe r work rdat<-d expcricn(c im:luded:- �4cmhcr,hip <l chi.:! Srx.:iety t>f Autt,moti,•� Engineer;,; Au�trnlasl:..t - JoinLxl the So(icty in 196."\ mid ,crvcd on 1he comminee for 20 years: Rcpr,:;,c111cd the SAE on the Motor \/chide Repair lnclustr1 \Vorking Committee run hy the- prc,·iou, Stale Govcn1menl: Served on the TRIPOD Committee. n:rre,t!nting vehklt.' manufac1u1't..�rs. in lhc fonncitivc year, of the D-.::partntt!'lll ol' ConsumL'r Affair., 1977-19�0: Served <'n the.! Hond� Dealer Council t()r K year" and al \·anvu� time, held pnsitit>n ol"Treasun;r. Secretary and Chairman: AppointtXIJPon 19Novcmhcr 1980. i\'lr Ballarino was employed under a package a, r.:vi,t\d on 21 D<Xember 1995 (Exhibit 2) and further revised on 4 Janu�ry 19\16 (Exhihits 6 and 7). !\fr Ballarino was dismissed on I I September 1996 after a series of warnings :ind t:orrespondencc a, follows:- 15. 5.96 first formal wamin�: 9. 7.96 coun;;cllcd by Gordon McMillan and Manuel Martine,: 19. 7.96 final warning (Exhihit �): 9. X.96 second and final warning letter 9. 8.92 (Exhibit 9): :n. X.96 (Exhibit IOJ - letter from o·Brien & As,ociatcs (agent for Mr BalbrinoJ rc,ponding to mailers: 27. K96 (Exhibit 1 IJ rc,pon,e from Austml Honda: and 11. 9.% termination letter of 11. 9.96 (Exhibit 12). The issue whid1 lead to his dismis,al related to his performance standard at 1\umal Honda. The terms and condition, of employment were brielly outlined m Exhibit D. As well the dismissal letter of 11 September 1996 <Exhibit 12i rcl"em:d IO terms of mdustrial awards. The Commis_�ion was not provided with the name orthe relcvan1 award or other details. l:ly Exhihits 2 and 6 it was a condition of employment 1hac h e achieve a ,ale, target of R new vehicles sold ,md delil'ercd per month. In evidence. Mr Ballarino indil:atcd thal he could achieve this figure if all things were equal and he was giwn the ,ame opponunilies as other sale,per;on�. Mr Ballnrino was of the opinion tha1 it hc<:amc increa,ingly difficult 10 cun1i11ue in the job. As M1ch prohlems arose i n regw·J to:- Holidav, A, " re,ult 11f 1h.: many ,1aff changes that had occurred over the previous years through no foull of his nwn he had accrued ,ome 360 hour, annual leave. The new management prc,,uri,cd him to extingui,h 1hi� out..;tanding leave without any cnm.;uhation. Rostercd Davs Off Whilst there had b<x:n e,tahlishcd a form of roster to giw. staff a hrnak from 1hc .58 ht>tll' 6 da) a week rcl{uircmcnt. the new 111anagcmc111 team t,,rbade any time oil on ;, Friday. Saturday or a :\'londay. In addition, it wa, made 1110.,1 ditncult to have an� 01her time off ,n th,,t RDO", became the t'x,cption rather than the rule in the later month, of I 996. Companv Car, Whilst ,onditi,m, of employment qualified for 1he use or a CUITL'nl modd ,·chicle. fnr appro,,i111ately 6 t\"Ceks Mr Rallari11() ha,I lo u,c a used t::Jr or,111y modd on a day to day tla,i,. When on holit.lays h� w:h �xpcc(cd 1<' u�c a u'-\Cd \'chick� 1101. a Honda. This arrnngcmt!nl wa, ,hangetl when he ,iatcd he would prefer lo use hi, pri,·atc vehicle anti would like hi}. Fringe Ri.!ndits dcdut.:lion from hi:-- pay rc1uro�U 10 him. !-'or the remainder or 1he period he wa, alway, a,�igncd a h,t.,c model , ·chide, i.,•. Ci, i( Cl whilst the ,11hc:r ,ales pe,�>le drove lh<' more pr.:s1igious model.,. This wa, an obvious attempt tn humiliate him before. the 1>thcr staff. Withholding of sloc:k and fru,trnting ,upply With the run-out of the 96 C,vk. instruction, from tht Sale, Manager were t11 direct people Lowurd;. the 11c•w model and t,> inform them no superseded M<1<:ks were kit Thi, was n(>l al""i'' lhc c.:asc: and clicnls purchaseu elsc'whcrc. A diem who rcquc,tcd a red Civic Coupe wa, informed by Mr Bal!arino under inslruction 1ha1 only a hluc- n>lour was availahle. He ....,·a� aware that tl r.xt coiour wa:-- in linn<la sln1:k and the dicnt pun.:hascd ebewhcrc. Advertising, Mr Ballarino·, after hour� phone mnnbcr was dclcte.J from ncw,paf)\!r adY,mising whilsl that of other ,ale, p,:r.,ons wa, 1101. Tdcphonc inquirie�. kw.b rnm1 :-pl)lli!f:-.. mmnr vdtiL·k consuiHml. curporat1.· a<lvcrlisinu.. \vorkshtlp und art uninn:-. The Sales :vlan:iger directed the receptionist and workshop . ,1aff 1hac all inquirk, he dirc,.;1cd 10 him. He al,., u,u,vcd inl{uiric;. from the ab<n·e ,taff and direl·tcd them to hb f;1vt1urcd sale, pcrSt>n c,·cn though some i111juiries came from s,>urccs whit"h :Vlr Ballarino had dc;ilt with for ;ippmximatt!ly I:; years. Redirect inn nf s1,x:k to prelerred sale, peNm The Honda Odyssey ,ale ll> lnfrt,xh Sy.,tcm, was an exampk or tactic, u�oo and 1hi, wa, <.:ontirmoo by lcuer from the owner concerned. An A�cnrd for a prntirnlar diem whiL"h had ("Jc::t'll held was delayed when priority "'a� given 10 ;1 frc:-:h order. :?t\l 15_!.DOC -- 1 of 2 -- 172 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE Nnn-01mpc1i1i,,,., icndcr price, Where Mr Ball�1rino had hccn rct1uc,1.ed h)· l·leL·t O\\ ncr� to quoh: iK• \'.·a:-- i1r,trurli.!<l tt' r>r�parc uneompc1ilin quota1it)ll�. DiM.."riminaLion rc�ardin�_ ,ale, promotion� The dire<.'l muil oul wa� nol available 1,1 Mr ll"llarino but kepi for the ,:ilc,m:in named on the hr<1d1urc. The �f)<:,ial oflcr dcul "a' not made a,ailablc 10 Mr Hallarin,,. Thi.! appli(.'allt h:.1<l on a numb,:r of oc<.·a-..inn, l�i.:-n gin.�n :rn opr,011uniLy 1,,dcfcnJ hnn,df:igain,t the allcg:ninn,. ln1kcd O'Brien & A»ot:i:11c, matk a number ..,if -,uggcstion:,, in their <.:orrc�pc.lnd�n�\'.' lu lhc respondt!nl datl!d :!J Au�u,t 1996. In Kt'll<'.lick 1·. A11.11t'aiioo S11hm<1ri11l' Cor1>11ra1io11 Ply Lid (No. :!) ( 1996) 65 IR :16(; at 371 a t'ull Court nf 1hc lndu,trinl R�lution, Coun or Au,1mlia rckrred to the opportunity to he fivcn tn cmpl1,ycc, to re;-;pt)n<.l 10 nlk-gation of pol)r pcrrorn1wKc. Mr Ballarino had hcc,1 cmpl(iycJ hy the ('<impuny :111<1 it prcdc(:cssor, t,,r many year,. Ho: c,1ahli,hcd tht' lfonJa dc,11t-r,hip in Hri,hanc and had giv cn rn;.lll) )•L'ar:-. <,f h>y�1l. <l....: Jil'ah.·.d ant.I :-.tcrling \l'f\ i,:L' h) thl.." de\dopm..:111 of the f'mndii,:c. He was a 111.:1111.:r of the Hontk, Dc,,k:r Countil for X) car, and hdJ po:-.ition� of' Tn;�1,urcr. s�,r�WI') \1tu.l Chairman. h i'i unl'ortunatc tha1 he was an employee• and not all c·4uity holder or the i'rnnchi,e. With the lap:-i1..� of time llC\\ \)\Vn..-1� arriHxl having c.lill�r..:m vie\\-:-. an<.J a prckr\.!rn.:c for p,·r:«11is they con,idcred appr opri ate. The Cnmmi,,ion i, ,a1i,licd 1l1at Mr Hallarino and the nc·w owner, faik<l to c.,tahlbh an acn·ptahk relation,hip. ThL' llC:\\• manag�r!-1 moved in a diffon: :m direction and Mr fblbrino fuund dii'ficulty i:1 adapting to 1hcir ,1ylc. Oh, iou,ly a ,tyk Mr Mani11c1.. the OC\\· Sak-, Manager. con,idcrcJ l\1nst :q>pr,1pri:11c i(,r the new dintt·tion of thr: rranchi'.'1�. The situation which :iro,e "oukl in the m,rmal indu,trial dimatc he n::,,l)hed h� mc:mh �A a ne�nl iull'<l ,t:ulc1th.'nt. On 1hi, l>l'1..·•i�ion :-.uc:h 1...·our� nf action wa� 1101 �ho:--i.!n hv thL' Ill!\\ 111a11agemcn1. The fc.>nnal n1et·hani:--.m that was put in10 pla<:c ,,,,· 15 May 1996 ��'" followed by a dct:,ilcd and c.,1cn,ivc proce". Mr Ballarino had the a,,i,tancc of an ,·xpcricnct·d indu-.1ri<ll ad\ i,or and wa, gh·cn 1,,.'\'CI'} l>Jlr<->r1Uni1y h> rn:commrn.Jatc thl.! tl,:�irc:-; nf th...- Ill.!" 1m111;,1g<.·mcn1. Th;: C"ommis:--inn ;u.:c.:..:p1� 1h:1l management ,howc<l only minimal imcrcM in g�nuindy au�rnpting to c:-.1ahli�h a n emplo1cri<:111plnycc rrlatinn�hip and put i n uain the formal warning incchani:-.nL So Ix- it the �nt,r1:-. or ltlHlli!p"..�lllClll u....:-r...• or a tc,cl whidl "athfi�d lhc i:riti..:ria c._:�}\•Cring the di,mis�al llf cmph.,yi.:i:s. In con,i,krin):! the fact that 1<,rmal 111e,:hanis111, \\1crc put in plate and !hat 1hc cmpl«Jycr/cmplt>>t.::L' n..·latitlllS.hip had hrok1:n (IO\\ n t h(• ('ommi!'>!->itlfl i, 11111 prepared to interfere with the dc,i,ion 111' manai?Cl1lCIH on 1hi, •><·rn,ion. The :ippli\::11ion is rd'Lh,•tl. K.I.. El>W ,\RDS. Commi,sioncr. Mr I'.()' Brien of Peter()' Brien and i\"!lci:11c•s 011 t>clwlf of the applicant. \fr M. lkllidd c,f \ktal ·1 i;ul�, l11du,l1J ,\»nc1a1io11 111"' AL"lrali:1. ()ue-c;1bland 13rnnch. l!ni(•U (>I' l ·:rnph)�l·r:-- <m b,.:hall <,f 1h1.� rt.:\fh.>lldent. Oreratin: Date: �/A 1)1.'l..'ision R...·m�lalcmt?tll I 3 March, 1998 13 March, 1998 QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT INDUSTRIAL GAZETTE 173 -- 2 of 2 --