CCI Queensland retrenches senior IR advisors
June 22nd, 2009
Queensland’s peak employer body, CCIQ has retrenched its most senior IR and HR advisors, less than a month before its members have to grapple with the challenges of the Fair Work Act.
The organisation has been experiencing substantial financial difficulties that have led to it cutting jobs across its operations, but it has now begun making substantial cuts to its IR and HR services.
The body last week retrenched its state manager, workplace relations, Steve Nance, after 13 years of service. It also made redundant senior workplace relations advisor Margaret Darwin and another IR advisor, Jason Dwyer.
It also retrenched the manager of its call centre and award supply service, Robert Drovandi.
There is no suggestion that the employees have been removed for performance reasons – it has been purely driven by the organisation’s budgetary problems.
The Queensland Trucking Association’s chief executive, Peter Garske, said his organistion, a longstanding member of Commerce Queensland, would be seriously considering whether to renew its membership, “on the basis that I’m uncertain of what service they can offer me”
Garske said he was perplexed by the organistion letting go of Nance, “just at the time when industry associations need a good IR service”.
Gil Muir, of Employer Services Pty Ltd, said that in terms of IR, Nance “was the heart and soul of the place [CCIQ]“.
www.workplaceexpress.com.au Monday 15th June 2009