Pollster's Email Sackings Questioned

Australian polling firm Roy Morgan Research has angered the country's unions by sacking fifty-six interviewers in its Melbourne call centre by email and with little or no warning.

On August 4th, interviewers received an email from one of their co-ordinators terminating their employment 'effective immediately', reportedly due to a shortage of work and because they had 'not met the company's high standards'.

The company faces possible claims for unfair dismissal with the Australian Industrial Relations Commission or the Workplace Rights Advocate.

Since the Work Choices legislation introduced by the previous government, casual staff such as these have no rights to redundancy payment or notice of termination; but Jeff Lawrence, secretary of the ACTU (The Australian Council of Trade Unions) is using the case to lobby for the reintroduction of some forms of protection.

Web sites: www.roymorgan.com.au and www.actu.asn.au .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

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