An Orana Juvenile Justice Centre youth worker sacked because she was in a union is back at work, but is still waiting for back pay.
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Kylie McKelvie started back at the centre last Monday after the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) ordered Ms McKelvie be reinstated.
However, the IRC’s directive that Ms McKelvie be remunerated for lost pay has so far not been followed.
A Juvenile Justice Department spokesperson said a “revised timeline” for remuneration had been agreed to by all parties. The department would comply with all IRC recommendations, the spokesperson said.
It means the department will be forced to investigate allegations of bullying at the Orana Juvenile Justice Centre by centre supervisor Danny Rousianos, and why a false reason for Ms McKelvie’s sacking was given to the IRC.
Last month the IRC found Ms McKelvie was effectively fired after she raised allegations of bullying by management.
The IRC also found Orana Juvenile Justice Centre manager Janet Curran tried to “cover up” the fact Ms McKelvie had been dismissed, even trying to avoid giving reasons for her dismissal.
The reason given was that Ms McKelvie didn’t have a full drivers licence, but the IRC found Ms McKelvie’s “union activities were the substantive cause of her dismissal”.
The IRC found even it had been lied to as to why Ms McKelvie was fired, recommending an internal investigation into how “a false reason for Ms McKelvie’s dismissal was conveyed to the commission”.
Ms McKelvie was essentially fired for bring up allegations of bullying,
The commission heard a female member of staff alleged she had been harassed and bullied by a supervisor over a period of three years. That supervisor was named as Mr Rousianos.
“The supervisor alleged of the harassment and bullying was then placed in the position of acting centre manager in Janet’s absence,” Ms McKelvie said in her evidence. “It was then alleged that a few days later on May 14 the victim attempted to take her own life at work.”
Mr Sams noted that the allegations against Mr Rousianos had never been substantiated, but recommended Mr Rousianos “be required to give an explanation for his conduct”.
lynton.grace@ruralpress.com
