The national workplace watchdog has ruled a Sydney garbage collect should not have been fired for refusing to work shifts longer than 12 hours.   

The Transport Workers Union says Tony Forrow was consistently told by contractor United Resource Management Group he should work 14-hour shifts.   

Union official Michael Aird says the Warringah Council collector was then sacked after pointing out that was against the law.

"Our member researched the issue and discovered that he was only actually legally able to work 12 hours," Mr Aird said.

"When he put his concerns to the employer they told him 'no, no, you're wrong' and he said 'look, I think I'm right here'.

"Obviously they didn't listen to our member at all and directed him to work illegally and then when he said 'look, I just think that's unlawful and I can't do that', they sacked him."   

He says the union is yet to start negotiations on whether Mr Forrow will get his job back.

"The Commission at this stage has found that the dismissal was harsh and or unreasonable and or unjust," he said.

"It found that the dismissal was based on a refusal to work illegally, but at this stage they haven't determined what remedy will be made available to our member."

United Resource Management provides garbage collection services for nine Sydney councils.

Yes, well don't you know we have to work for the man.....until we drop.

What's with these ridiculously loooooong shifts these days. Hasn't anyone heard of an 8 hour working day? I thought modern technology was supposed to help the worker.

The garbo's didn't work 14 hour shifts, or even 12 hour shifts when they had to run alongside the truck and empty the bins manually.

Bring back 8 hour shifts and give someone else a go at working.

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you should try being a medical intern. 14hour days would be a blessing!

longweekend58 wrote on Jun 5^th, 2011 at 8:59am:


Not for someone driving a heavy vehicle though....

RTA regs only allow 12 hour maximum time behind the wheel...

my son in law NSW Police was doing 12 hour shifts..I was shocked I thought 12 hours to keep ones concentration was asking far too much.....he now does 10 hour shifts..however because he is in forensics.. that often runs over time..a copper just starting may have to do 12 hour shifts.

It's a fact that people have to work harder and longer hourse now than when they were serfs. And back in those times entertainment was free, sometimes including beer, paid for by cities, churches and town councils.

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jun 5^th, 2011 at 2:50pm:


That's because you obviously don't have the talent or the bargaining position, or both, to negotiate better conditions for yourself.

You should join a union or something.

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you are wrong and if you had a job you might realise that life is very different than you think it is. do you think pilots click off 8 hours into a 20 hour flight? do you think surgeons walk off half way thru the op because it is 5pm?

have you EVER worked?