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Unfair Dismissal, Reinstatement and Garden Leave: Blackadder V Ramsey Butchering Services PTY LTD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2025

Shae McCrystal
Shae McCrystal*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, Australian National University
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Extract

In most cases, the employment relationship is capable of withstanding some friction and doubts … It may be difficult or embarrassing for an employer to be required to re-employ a person the employer believed guilty of a wrongdoing. The requirement may cause inconvenience to the employer. … The problems will be of the employer’s own making. If the employer is of even average fair-mindedness, they are likely to prove short-lived.

Type
Research Article
Information
Federal Law Review , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , September 2005 , pp. 555 - 568
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 The Australian National University

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Footnotes

I would like to thank Professor Phillipa Weeks, Dr Fiona Wheeler and the anonymous referee for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this article.

References

1 Perkins v Grace Worldwide (Aust) Pty Ltd (1997) 72 IR 186, 191–2 (Wilcox CJ, Marshall and North JJ).

2 For discussion of potential difficulties that can arise after a reinstatement order is made by the AIRC and not covered by this note see Hedy, Meggiorin, ‘Reinstatement under the Workplace Relations Act (Cth): Is it Practicable, Appropriate or Just Plain Speculative?’ (1999) 27 Australian Business Law Review 438Google Scholar.

3 (2005) 215 ALR 87 (‘Blackadder’).

4 The facts are taken from the decision of Redmond C in S Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd [2000] IRComnA 314 (Unreported, Redmond C, Print S4537, 29 March 2000) and Madgwick J in Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd (2002) 118 FCR 395.

5 See Paul Swain v Ramsey Food Packaging Pty Ltd [1999] IRComnA 1504 (Unreported, Jones C, Print S2209, 24 December 1999).

6 Commenting on the work performance of Mr Swain, Mr Blackadder stated: ‘I am not prepared to say if the applicant was performing his duties correctly or otherwise’: ibid [4].

7 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 99 [51] (Callinan and Heydon JJ).

8 S Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd [2000] IRComnA 314 (Unreported, Redmond C, Print S4537, 29 March 2000) [62].

9 Ibid [72–3].

10 Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder [2000] IRCommA 737 (Unreported, Full Bench, Boulton and Munro JJ, Harrison C, Print S7395, 26 June 2000).

11 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 103 [64] (Callinan and Heydon JJ).

12 Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd (2002) 118 FCR 395, 406–7 [49]–[53].

13 Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381.

14 Ibid 397 [21] (Moore J).

15 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87. The High Court made some minor alterations to the substance of the original orders that are peripheral to this discussion.

16 The most extensive discussion of the common law in the Blackadder litigation is found in the judgment of Tamberlin and Goldberg JJ in the Full Federal Court decision: Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381, 413–15 [65]–[71].

17 Collier v Sunday Referee Publishing Co [1940] 2 KB 647, 650.

18 Marbe v George Edwardes (Daly’s Theatre) Ltd [1928] 1 KB 269 (‘Marbe’); Mann v Capital Territory Health Commission (1981) 54 FLR 23 (‘Mann’).

19 [1928] 1 KB 269, 288.

19 See White v Australian and New Zealand Theatres Ltd (1943) 67 CLR 266; Curro v Beyond Productions Pty Ltd (1993) 30 NSWLR 337.

20 Turner v Sawdon & Co [1901] 2 KB 653; Wesoky v Village Cinemas International Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 32 (Unreported, Merkel J, 2 February 2001).

21 [1998] IRLR 313 (‘William Hill’).

22 For discussion of the decision in William Hill see Greg, McCarry, ‘Recent Cases: Termination of Employment, Payment in Lieu of Notice, Garden Leave and the Right to Work’ (1999) 12 Australian Journal of Labour Law 56Google Scholar.

23 (1981) 54 FLR 23.

24 There was some argument in the case about Mr Blackadder’s entitlement to a productivity bonus and whether or not this gave him a right to work under the common law. This is discussed later in this note.

25 Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381, 416 [77].

26 Ibid 416 [81].

27 Ibid 406 [44].

28 Ibid.

29 (1990) 36 IR 38.

30 Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381, 397 [21].

31 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 106 [73].

32 Ibid 106 [74].

33 Ibid.

34 Ibid 106–7 [75].

35 Ibid 107 [75].

36 Ibid 90–1 [14].

37 Ibid 94 [29]–[30].

38 Ibid 94 [32].

39 Ibid 95 [33].

40 Ibid 97 [43].

41 Ibid 97 [43]–[44].

42 Ibid 95 [33].

43 Ibid 95 [32]. See also at [34].

44 Ibid 107 [76].

45 Ibid 90–91 [14] (McHugh J); 94 [29] (Kirby J); 106 [74] (Callinan and Heydon JJ).

46 See Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381, 395–7 [17]–[21] (Moore J).

47 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 95 [34] (Kirby J).

48 Ibid.

49 Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381, 399 [24], quoted in Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 107–8 [78].

50 Blackadder v Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd (2002) 118 FCR 395, 410 [61].

51 Ibid.

52 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 108 [80].

53 Ibid. See also at 94 [32] (Kirby J).

54 Ramsey Butchering Services Pty Ltd v Blackadder (2003) 127 FCR 381, 415 [72] (Tamberlin and Goldberg JJ).

55 Blackadder (2005) 215 ALR 87, 94 [32].

56 Ibid 108 [80].

57 The duty of mutual trust and confidence in the employment contract was recognised in Mahmud v Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA [1998] AC 20. For discussion of the development of the doctrine see Adrian, Brooks, ‘The Good and Considerate Employer: Developments in the Implied Duty of Mutual Trust and Confidence’ (2001) 20 University of Tasmania Law Review 29Google Scholar; Kelly, Godfrey, ‘Contracts of Employment: Renaissance of the Implied Term of Trust and Confidence’ (2003) 77 Australian Law Journal 764Google Scholar; Joellen, Riley, ‘Mutual Trust and Good Faith: Can Private Contract Law Guarantee Fair Dealing in the Workplace?’ (2003) 16 Australian Journal of Labour Law 28Google Scholar.

58 For discussion of the potential scope of the duty in the development of the employment contract see Riley, above n 57.

59 See Johnson v Unisys Ltd [2003] 1 AC 518; Eastwood v Magnox Electric plc [2004] 3 WLR 322; New South Wales v Paige (2002) 60 NSWLR 371. For discussion of Johnson v Unisys see Mark, Irving, ‘Recent Cases: Damages Arising from the Manner of an Employee’s Dismissal’ (2003) 16 Australian Journal of Labour Law 99Google Scholar; Phillipa, Weeks, ‘Employment Law — A Test of Coherence between Statute and Common Law’ in Suzanne, Corcoran and Stephen, Bottomley (eds), Interpreting Statutes (2005)Google Scholar ch 10.

60 Commonwealth, The Howard Government’s Plan: Building Better Workplace Relations: Information for Employers (2005) 3, available at <http://www.workplace.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/93145D27-55E9-4771-8BA1-09B240579D9/0/FactSheetForEmployers.pdf>.

Whether or not these employees will be able to access the State unfair dismissal regimes is a matter that will be clear only once the legislation has been promulgated.