Showing posts with label maurice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label maurice. Show all posts

24 March

South Australian doctors explore class action for "wage theft" following NSW and Victorian actions

Junior doctors in South Australia are “strongly considering” launching a class action against SA Health for systemic “wage theft” over “unpaid overtime”, following similar legal moves interstate.

The SA Salaried Medical Officers Association has begun discussions with lawyers handling class actions in New South Wales and Victoria.

SASMOA chief industrial officer Bernadette Mulholland told InDaily “wage theft” was a major problem for overworked junior doctors and “not confined to the eastern states”.

“SASMOA is strongly considering taking similar legal action to recover wages for junior doctors,” she said.

“SASMOA is undertaking preliminary work and has spoken with the lawyers representing medical officers in NSW and Victoria for wage theft.”

Mulholland said “our investigations validate that wage theft for junior doctors is widespread in health”.

“These doctors are pressured to attend well before the commencement of their rostered shifts, do not get their meal breaks and work unpaid overtime,” she said.

“Hospital administrators know it happens but it is ignored.”

A class action was launched last week against a Victorian health service, amid claims of systemic underpayment of junior doctors.

It follows a class action launched in December on behalf of early career medicos in NSW against health authorities there, over “exploitative work conditions”.

Law firms Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and Hayden Stephens & Associates said the action was based on a claim for “underpayment of wages” for junior doctors.

“It is a claim to seek recovery of payment for the extensive unpaid overtime performed by doctors,” the lawyers said in a statement at the time.

Lawyer Hayden Stephens said the “no-win, no-fee” NSW class action could involve more than 10,000 junior doctors, many of whom were worried about patient safety “after being pressured to work unpaid overtime to the point of exhaustion”.

Mulholland said the problem had also been going on for too long in South Australia.

She said the union had surveyed members late last year on matters that should be addressed during the latest round of enterprise bargaining.

“The number one agenda item that trainee doctors raised was putting an end to ‘wage theft’, including a penalty imposed on the employer for breaching excessive hours worked by junior doctors and fatigue provisions,” she said.

Mulholland said one trainee doctor had stated in the survey: “There is significant destruction to the morale of the workforce too fearful to claim actual hours worked. Cost cutting always seems to pressure junior doctors, who are unable to assert themselves as they are reliant upon reports from those that sign their timesheets and are placed on annual contracts. Staff are continually coerced to not claim.”

The union has requested a specific clause in its new enterprise agreement “that junior doctors get paid for the hours they work”.

“This may seem silly to some but in an environment where you regularly do not get paid for the hours worked it is necessary to spell it out to the hospital administrators,” Mulholland said.

“Making junior doctors work well beyond a rostered shift has implications for patient care and results in fatigues and low morale.”

A spokesperson for SA Health said: “Negotiations for a new SA Health Salaried Medical Officers Enterprise Agreement have commenced and without prejudice discussions are taking place between Department of Treasury and Finance (as the declared employer), SA Health and SASMOA.

“These discussions will be guided by principles of fairness and accountability.

“Medical Officers are highly-valued members of our workforce and it is our intention to progress with negotiations in a timely manner, ultimately delivering a package that supports Medical Officers and the wider system to continue to deliver high quality health services.”

Health Minister Stephen Wade said “we are aware that these matters are being discussed as part of negotiations for a new enterprise agreement”.

“We support doctors getting paid for the work that they do,” he said.

Full story: InDaily


21 March

Maurice Blackburn Lawyers with an unparalleled record in Australian Class Actions


Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, established in 1919, is regarded as the leading Class Action legal firm in Australia. Their website lists their extensive experience and ongoing string of successful class actions:


Class actions
We're Australia's leading class action practice with an unparalleled record, having obtained more than $3 billion for our clients.

Our class actions


About class actions


Our class actions

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Montara oil spill class action
 

About class actions

What is a class action?

Class actions provide a powerful voice to those who otherwise would be denied any measure of justice and redress. They are an important part of the legal system that enables disputes and claims involving potentially large numbers of people to be resolved in a single case, allowing ordinary Australians to hold large and powerful organisations accountable when they have engaged in serious misconduct.



How do class actions work?
Where seven or more people have claims that arise out of similar circumstances, a class action can be brought by one claimant on their own behalf and as a representative of others. The class action process saves time and expense and avoids the need for the courts to determine common issues of fact or law more than once, enabling disputes and claims involving large numbers of people to be resolved via a single case.

What are the benefits of joining a class action?
Class actions allow victims of mass wrongs to group together to protect their rights and fight for fair compensation. They allow the recovery of losses more fairly and efficiently, and at less individual cost.

Often, one individual lacks the resources to take on a large corporation. But if enough individuals have experienced the same wrongdoing, collectively they can become a powerful force and strong voice for justice.

Class actions are a force for greater corporate and social responsibility and accountability and all Australian consumers and businesses can potentially benefit from their outcomes.

What does it cost to join a class action?
Class actions are run on a 'no win, no fee'* fee basis and signing up will not expose you to any out of pocket costs, even if the legal proceedings are not successful. The law firm or litigation funder will bear the costs and the risks in running the case – not the participating group members.

Maurice Blackburn's class action record is second to none. $100m+
We are the only Australian class actions firm to deliver $100M+ settlements to clients in shareholder and listed securities actions, and have done so on seven occasions.

We've recovered in excess of $3 billion for wronged clients since the inception of our class actions practice in 1998.

Listed securities class actions


Australian leaders.

Our reputation for excellence in class actions is unparalleled, increasing our chances of:

- Better returns

- Faster recovery

- Lower cost to clients


Class action types

Misleading shareholders

When companies engage in misleading or deceptive conduct, their actions can imperil shareholders' financial futures. Maurice Blackburn has run class actions relating to disclosure issues and misleading and deceptive conduct by companies in takeovers, in prospectuses and in ASX releases. We are the only Australian law firm to have resolved shareholder and listed securities class actions for in excess of $100 million, and have done so seven times now.

Unfair selling practices
Consumers are protected by law against unfair and deceptive sales practices. Maurice Blackburn has pursued class actions on behalf of Australian consumers, in cases where retailers have engaged in unfair or deceptive practices. Examples include the unfair bank fees case and the Cash Converters payday lending case.

Price fixing and market rigging
Price fixing and market rigging can impact on the livelihoods of both small Australian businesses and national companies. Maurice Blackburn has pursued class actions on behalf of Australian businesses and customers, including against Amcor Visy and Air Cargo class actions.

Negligence
When an avoidable disaster impacts on large numbers of people, a negligence class action provides an avenue for victims to seek restitution. Maurice Blackburn has pursued class actions on behalf of victims of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria, the 2009 oil spill in the Timor Sea, and the 2011 Queensland floods.

Selling defective products
Defective medical products can cause serious injury, ongoing health problems and diminished quality of life. Maurice Blackburn class actions have pursued restitution from companies and corporations whose defective breast, knee and hip implant products have caused significant suffering for Australian patients.

Mistreatment of vulnerable people
We have a responsibility to give a voice to vulnerable people who suffer at the hands of those who are more powerful. Maurice Blackburn has pursued class actions on behalf of disabled residents mistreated in care, victims of abuse in detention facilities, and falsely imprisoned youths.


Andrew Watson National Head of Class Actions, Class actions

"I'm an experienced litigator in class actions, particularly for shareholders who have been victims of corporate misconduct."


Rebecca Gilsenan Executive Director, Principal Lawyer, Class actions


"I have extensive experience in running complex and novel litigation, including class actions in the areas of price fixing, failed investment schemes, product liability and securities."

Ben Slade State Managing Principal, Office Leader, Class actions

"I am driven to give a voice to those who would otherwise have to suffer because those who have done them wrong are all too powerful."


Vavaa Mawuli Principal, Class actions

"The most rewarding thing about my work is the change in scale of what we are able to accomplish."




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Indonesian seaweed farmers win class action following one of Australia's largest oil spills

Lead plaintiff Indonesian Seaweed farmer Daniel Sanda 
Some 15,000 Indonesian seaweed farmers whose livelihoods were destroyed by one of Australia's largest oil spills have won a Federal Court class action

The company behind one of Australia's largest oil spills has been found liable for damaging the livelihoods of thousands of Indonesian seaweed farmers.

The Federal Court on Friday afternoon ruled the operator of the Montara Wellhead Platform, about 700 kilometres west of Darwin, breached its duty of care to the farmers after untested, deficient barriers were used to cap its H1 Well in 2009.

Oil and gas spilled uncontrollably from the well into the Timor Sea for 74 days, damaging seaweed farms off Timor and an island further south.

Class action lead applicant Daniel Sanda, who lived on about $2,000 a year before taking up seaweed farming on Rote Island, had calculated the oil spill cost him 739 million Indonesian rupiah ($A67,000) in profits over six years.

"I am satisfied that this oil caused or materially contributed to the death and loss of (Mr Sanda's) crop," Justice David Yates said.

"I am satisfied that, although difficult to assess, and although attended with uncertainty, the applicant's loss can be calculated, and that he is entitled to an award of damages."

The oil company, PTTEP Australasia, accepted it was negligent in suspending and operating the well but contended it didn't owe a duty of care to the farmers.

Even if that duty of care was owed and breached, it said there wasn't any evidence the oil reached the areas, let alone that oil was in a form that would be toxic to the seaweed crops.

It told Australian Maritime Safety Authority in August 2009 that about 200 to 400 barrels of oil was spilling per day, revising that to the higher figure at trial.

But Justice Yates found the rate was 920 barrels per day "as a minimum" and was likely being discharged at an uncontrolled rate exceeding 2,500 barrels per day.

PTTEP had shown in its oil spill contingency plan that it was concerned as to whether oil spilled at the H1 Well could reach shorelines in Australia, Timor and Indonesia and harm the marine ecosystems there, he said.

While the modelling showed no impacts, it was not dealing with an uncontrolled well blowout arising from a failure to properly suspend the well, the judge said.

"The possibility of impacts to those shorelines and harm to the marine ecosystem carried with it the possibility of harm to those businesses or enterprises that depended on the commercial exploitation of that ecosystem, including in relation to seaweed," the judge said.

"I am satisfied, therefore, that the foreseeability of that risk of harm arising from the respondent's actual acts or omissions is established and that the respondent breached its duty of care to the applicant and the Group Members.

"No other consideration has been raised which militates against a finding of breach."

Class action lead applicant Daniel Sanda had calculated the oil spill cost him 739 million Indonesian rupiah ($A67,000) in profits over six years.

Justice Yates ruled Mr Sanda should be awarded 253 million Indonesian rupiah, having applied a discount of 40 per cent due to uncertainty in Mr Sanda's exact income and found that no income loss occurred in 2013.

Full story: SBS


20 March

Seqwater still fighting Supreme Court decision holding them responsible for the 2011 Brisbane River flood

Wivenhoe Dam
The 2011 Brisbane River Class action continues with SunWater finally capitulating and agreeing to pay their 30 percent of the Supreme Court ordered damages to the successful 6800 class action claimants.

This finalises Sunwater's legal obligation, subject to approval by the New South Wales Supreme Court where the class action was initiated and payment of the agreed damages.

The Queensland Government did not appeal the November 2019 judgment and has subsequently agreed to pay its court-ordered 20 percent of damages.

This leaves the third defendant - the recalcitrant Seqwater - to continue with its appeal to the NSW Court of Appeal in May 2021 - still trying to overturn the original 2019 judgment.

Goodna Flood 2011
Seqwater was judged 50 percent liable for the flooding of the Brisbane and Bremer Rivers from 11- 14 January 2011 as a direct result of the operation of its Wivenhoe and Somerset Dams in breach of the water corporation's own operating manuals.

Both SunWater and Seqwater are wholly owned by the Queensland Government.

The persistence of Maurice Blackburn lawyers and their associated litigation funders Omni Bridgeway, formerly IMF Bentham, in this matter is testament to the powerful nature of class actions and the only way battlers across Australia can seek genuine justice.

Full story: ABC News