We’re aware that yesterday workers received correspondence from management saying that due to increased staff sickness for different reasons, RDOs and annual leave cannot be approved at this stage.

THS should have talked to us before putting this out to staff. We only found it out because a member sent us an email, and again, we are dealing with a decision they made after the fact.

Arbitrarily deciding an award entitlement will not be approved is unacceptable. We will defend your right to make the application and take your well-earned and deserved break when it suits you and your family best. This is especially so if there are exceptional or compassionate reasons for you to take the leave.

We know that things are really on edge at the moment, and we know that normal winter illness with the addition of COVID is crippling some service areas, but we will not allow the workers who have been tirelessly keeping the show on the road to be disadvantaged because they want to take leave.

Things are really bad, but figuratively flogging workers is not the solution. If you’re having restrictions put on your entitlements, please get in touch.