YOUR INDUSTRY
Introducing
Stephen Farrell
vegetablesWA’s IR Consultant BY STEPHEN FARRELL INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CONSULTANT, VEGETABLESWA
V
egetablesWA are excited to introduce a new member of the team, Stephen Farrell. Stephen’s role will be to provide Human Resources (HR) and Industrial Relations (IR) advice and support to members. Stephen is an experienced practitioner with around 20 years in Human Resources and Industrial Relations experience. Stephen commenced his career at the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU/CSA), the union for Western Australian (WA) state public servants. During this time, his role was to assist union members negotiate their terms and conditions, advocate and participate in consultancy committee within their workplace, and represent members in both the state and federal industrial relations commissions. Stephen was the assistant director of HR for Serco Australia at Acacia Prison between 2011 and 2014. In this role he provided advice to the Acacia Prison director, and the rest of the senior management team, in workplace law, management, HR policy, employee relations, workers’ compensation, recruitment, training and development, and best HR practice. After leaving Serco, Stephen joined the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA as a senior workplace relations
consultant. In this role he focussed on the training of clients around their obligations as employers, best management practice in performance management, as well as conducting workplace investigations and representing clients in the Fair Work and WA commissions.
Stephen has extensive experience representing clients in both the Fair Work and WA industrial commissions, before both single commissioners and full benches. Stephen is married to Lu-Han and has two teenage children. In his private life, Stephen is a keen Glasgow Celtic supporter and is passionate about football (the world game). He coaches at Forrestfield United Football club, in their State League Reserves team, where he is also on their board and in charge of developing the female football department of the club.
• S erious misconduct and termination of employment • Other employment issues. These seminars/training sessions will be provided both in person and online. Stephen will also be providing the vegetablesWA management team with advice and advocacy on IR policy matters and issues with both the State and Federal governments, including consultation on changes to awards. Growers can also engage Stephen to: • A udit payroll and provide advice on award and legislative compliance
Training sessions and seminars will be provided in person and online.
As a part of his role, Stephen is responsible for the development and maintenance of HR/IR resources for growers to access, including template contracts of employment, policies and other employee forms. In addition, Stephen will be conducting training sessions and seminars on the following topics: • C ompliance with awards and legislation
• A dvocacy and representation defending employee claims in the Fair Work Commission and WA Industrial Magistrate’s Court
• Provide individual advice on IR issues, such as staff discipline or organisational structure within your workplace • Adapt template contracts, policies and documents to fit the individual circumstances of the grower’s business. Stephen can be contacted directly or through the vegetablesWA website enquiry form. MORE INFORMATION Contact Stephen Farrell on (08) 9460 3878, 0455 833 352 or email stephen.farrell@ vegetableswa.com.au
• Staff management • P erformance management of staff WA Grower AUTUMN 2021
39
