Labour Court says Volex should not use probation clause for lay-offs

The Labour Court recommended that Volex Interconnect Limited and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union agree a new arrangement for laying off temporary workers. The recommendation was signed on 28 August 1996. The union said five temporary workers laid off in March had more service than some colleagues who remained employed, and that the selection breached an earlier understanding. Volex said the workers had less than six months’ service and were still on probation. The Court said an understanding on lay-offs existed and recommended that the probation clause not be used for that purpose. It called for an arrangement balancing employment continuity with the company’s need for flexibility, and considered compensation inappropriate.