WRC declines jurisdiction over Airport worker’s lay-off dispute

The WRC declined jurisdiction over an Airport worker’s dispute about his lay-off, saying it concerned the hours or working time of a group of workers. The merits were not decided. The decision was dated 30 June 2022. The worker said he was selected for lay-off without consultation and that his experience exceeded that of some colleagues who remained at work. He also alleged that belongings had been removed from his locker and that the employer had not communicated meaningfully with him. The WRC said the industrial relations complaint overlapped with a Payment of Wages Act claim. It noted that the locker issue could be separated from the wider dispute, but found it had no jurisdiction to make a recommendation because the dispute, as framed, related to the hours or working time of a group of workers.