18/06/2008

News Item

$367,000 for work suicide after union sacked man by SMS

THE family of a union recruiter who killed himself a day after being sacked by the Electrical Trades Union yesterday received $367,000 in compensation.

Tony Cecere, 53, took his life in March 2005 after an ETU official sent an SMS asking him to return his work car and mobile phone.

A County Court judge yesterday approved the compensation payout following a complex WorkCover trial.

Speaking on behalf of her mother and two brothers, Mr Cecere's daughter, Giuliana, said the family was relieved.

"These past three years have been the worst for our family," she said.

"To finally hear that we have won and this is all finished, and we've achieved what dad wanted, gives us all some closure."

Mr Cecere's widow, Lyn, sued WorkCover and the Communications Electrical Plumbing Union, of which the ETU is a division, claiming the union had contributed to his death.

Mr Cecere first worked for the CEPU's communications division as a recruiter. He was later hired by the ETU on a salary of $56,981, and given a car and mobile phone.

The court heard Mr Cecere had been treated for depression and had threatened to kill himself after separating from his wife in late 2004.

Judge John Bowman ruled Mr Cecere's depression worsened as he realised his job was in jeopardy.

The final straw was getting the text message, which triggered an acute depressive episode leading to his suicide, the judge found.

ETU state secretary Dean Mighell said while losing his job had been a contributing factor in Mr Cecere's death, he was not sacked by SMS.

"Tony had already been informed that his contract had ended and the text message was simply a reminder to him to return a car and mobile phone," he said in a recent ETU newsletter.

But Judge Bowman said he wasn't satisfied the union had clearly spelt this out in the week before his death.

source: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23881603-661,00.html