Adam Mills wins job at Glamorgan Spring Bay Council after Fair Work Commision decision

A Tasmanian union is celebrating the latest Fair Work Commission decision to reinstate a worker who was unfairly dismissed.

Adam Mills with children Desmond Pickett 17, Alithiya Pickett 10 and Draedyn Pickett 13. Adam Mills works officer with Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council who has triumphed in a battle to win his job back. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

A Tasmanian council worker has triumphed in a David and Goliath battle with his employer winning back his job.

Adam Mills, 44, says he can’t wait to get back to work at the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council where he maintains roads, footpaths, fixes signs and fells trees.

He has thanked the local Orford community for standing by him in his darkest days, including a church group that dropped $1000 at his doorstep to help the single father of four.

Australian Services Union Tasmanian co-ordinator Samantha Batchelor has hailed Mr Mills’ reinstatement as a “testament to what can be achieved when we stick together”.

Mr Mills suffered a serious foot fracture at work in 2020 and despite ongoing pain and discomfort he returned to work and was prescribed medical marijuana.

In June last year he was sacked but the union appealed his dismissal as unfair.

Ms Batchelor said Mr Mills won a rare reinstatement order from the Fair Work Commission but the council appeal the decision.

She said a drawn-out legal battle ensued but the Commission Full Bench recently dismissing the council’s appeal and confirming his reinstatement.

Adam Mills works officer with Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council who has triumphed in a battle to win his job back. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Mills was described as a “dedicated and valuable worker” and father devoted to his children and fervent in instilling in them good values.

“It’s all been pretty sad. I was in a dark place for a bit,” he said.

“It was starting to really get me down, sitting around the house, not being able to go get another job because I wanted this job back.

“I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve been honest. I teach my kids, ‘be honest, do your hardest and have some reliability about yourself and you’ll go a long way in life’.

“I keep saying to them, ‘as long as I tell the truth, I’ll be right’ and finally it’s been put right.

‘I couldn’t have done this without my ASU organiser Ken Richardson, my local community and my union, the ASU, by my side.

“A local church even anonymously dropped money at my door after I got sacked to help me and my kids.

“The support has been incredible and I can’t wait to get back to work and put this all behind us.”

Ms Batchelor said Mr Mills’ case should serve as a warning to employers that workers deserve dignity and respect at work.

She said when it came to workplace injuries and the use of medical marijuana at work, there were complexities to assessing impairment that must be considered, including options for workers to seek alternative treatments and receive rehabilitative support.

“At the end of the day, a job means and gives so much to a person, and their family and decisions to terminate employment must be considered with the greatest amount of care,” Ms Batchelor said.

“This case took a village of support and effort, and was not without hurdles, but is testament to what can be achieved when we stick together.”

Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Cheryl Arnol said she could not comment on staffing matters.

Originally published as Adam Mills wins job at Glamorgan Spring Bay Council after Fair Work Commision decision