Postal workers' union warns Australia Post

The Communications Division of the CEPU has told Australia Post to 
withdraw its policy on no chairs at counters in PostShops or face further 
action. The threat of further action follows claims by the postal workers' 
union that Australia Post is trying to circumvent a recent Federal Court 
decision which the union says has effectively overthrown its "no chairs" 
policy in retail PostShops.

A recent Federal Court ruling found that Australia Post had discriminated 
against a Sydney postal worker, Sarah Daghlian, by directing her onto sick 
leave and terminating her employment because she required a chair at the 
counter in the PostShop in suburban Manly for intermittent rest while 
serving customers.

The Federal Court found that Ms Daghlian was "a competent and conscientious 
employee" and that there was no good reason for removing the stool on which 
she had relied for 11 years.

CEPU Communications Division Secretary, Brian Baulk, said that Australia 
Post could easily create a space in the retail counter so that pregnant 
workers and workers with physical disabilities could serve customers in a 
seated position.

Mr Baulk said the only barrier to accommodating the needs of these workers 
is Australia Post's attitude that chairs look untidy and slovenly. The 
problem goes all the way to the top.

In spite of the evidence that pregnant workers or workers with physical 
disabilities perform their duties with a chair effectively and without 
interference with the day to day operations of PostShops, Australia Post 
senior management, in the name of image, have refused to withdraw the ban 
on chairs at retail counters.

In fact, Australia Post has ignored the court judgment and advised the 
union that there are no plans to vary the retail counter design so that 
workers with physical disabilities may work in a seated position. Instead 
these workers are to be managed under a program that will see them directed 
home on sick leave and then terminated.

Chairs at retail counters have a long history. At one stage, Australia Post 
had agreed to incorporate chairs into the design process for a new retail 
fit-out but had later reneged on the agreement claiming that it would 
create an unjustifiable hardship on the organisation.

Mr Baulk said it was nonsense to suggest that one of Australia's most 
profitable companies producing profit year after year would suffer hardship 
by having to provide chairs to accommodate pregnant workers and workers 
with physical disabilities.

He said Australia Post managers were misguided if they thought the union 
would collaborate or co-operate in this unfair and discriminatory approach 
to managing employees with physical disabilities.