The Guardian 14 September, 2005
Life imitates ACTU ad
The ACTU ad rubbished by John Howard has come true in real life for a Sydney mother of two. Trainee bus driver Tracey Carpenter was sacked after State Transit refused to alter her rosters so she could look after her kids, aged two and four.
Ms Carpenter’s work hours of 12.30pm to 7.30pm created difficulty in securing child care, and private arrangements could not always be made, meaning she had to take time off work.
She told Kingsgrove Depot management 12 months ago of her situation, in the hope they could help her, but they refused. "There are 450 drivers at Kingsgrove Depot", says Raul Boanza from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU). "It would have been shit easy.
"For 12 months she wasn’t being assisted in any way."
When Ms Carpenter completed her traineeship she was presented with a letter from management dumping her from State Transit, citing absences because of her children.
"Everything else on her record is perfect", noted Mr Boanza, who took up the matter with Kingsgrove Depot managers. "The absences are genuine and well documented.
"They told us when we met with them that they couldn’t be satisfied that she could keep her family issues under control."
After meeting with Ms Carpenter’s union representatives, State Transit management said they would reconsider her position if she could provide "documentation" to show that her family situation would not impact on her work.
"We are not bargaining over this issue", says Mr Boanza. "She has the right to go back to work.
"State Transit has failed her on legal and moral grounds."
The RTBU will take the matter to the Human Rights Commission, claiming discrimination against Ms Carpenter on marital and family grounds.