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Speed van operators fail in pay claim over shift breaks
Summary
Four speed‑van operators claimed they were denied shift breaks because they had to constantly monitor camera systems. Their union representative argued that the vans lacked toilets or canteens and that tight scheduling left no time for lunch or welfare breaks. The operators, Niall Walsh, Tony Roche, Richard Free and Kevin O'Brien, filed complaints under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997. The Workplace Relations Commission tribunal rejected the claims. In the hearing, Mr Walsh testified that he had to monitor weather conditions to adjust photo clarity, making a 15‑minute break impossible, and that he tried to take breaks between surveillance sessions but found it extremely difficult. The company's barrister, Kevin Bell, noted that operators were not required to watch weather conditions and that speed detections were carried out by the apparatus. The company's general manager, Pat McGuire, said operators only had to occasionally check the equipment and that technology took over once set up.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Speed van operators fail in pay claim over shift breaks. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision
When:
- 2023-03-16 Publication
Why: Four speed van operators who claimed they were unlawfully denied their shift breaks because they had to "constantly" monitor their camera systems have lost their claims at the Workplace Relations Commission. CNI source report
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