By: NANISE VOLAU
AUTHORITIES are tight-lipped about the future of Magistrate Andrew See who presided over the dispute involving employees of Air Terminal Services.
Islands Business has been tipped off that Magistrate See’s contract has been terminated, three weeks after he ruled in favour of the employees.
Contacted in the Lautoka Magistrates Court a short time ago, Magistrate See, an Australian, declined to comment or answer any questions relating to his work.
He referred us instead to Chief Registrar Yohan Liyange in Suva.
Said Mr Liyanage: “This is news to me and I am not aware of any changes, but if you call me on Monday, I can give you an updated record.”
Sources however in Lautoka where Magistrate See is based and in Suva say however the Australian Tribunal’s contract has not been renewed.
In his landmark decision on 20 January, Magistrate See ordered that the 225 workers of ATS be returned to work in accordance with the terms of their employment contract, and on a case-by-case basis, that ATS should ensure that the pay and entitlements of each employee were reviewed and, where necessary, re-instated,
See is a Brisbane-based lawyer and industrial relations consultant. He specialises in all aspects of workplace relations, including human resource management, industrial relations, workplace health and safety and discrimination.
He was appointed in 2011 as an ad hoc Resident Magistrate in Fiji, where he sits on the Employment Relations Tribunal, the Tax Tribunal, the Customs Act Court of Review and the Judicial Services Commission Disciplinary Tribunal (non-judicial staff).
