CEO of Maori trust wins case

The chief executive of a Maori trust has won $6500 for being unfairly suspended after rows and an alleged physical confrontation with her chairwoman.

Karilyn Te Riini of Tuwharetoa Ki Kawerau Charitable Trust allegedly fought with chairwoman Helen Savage in 2009.

But although police warned Ms Savage after the confrontation, the pair ended up in an argument over staff employment contracts last September.

Ms Te Riini was suspended by Ms Savage after the row, and took a claim to the Employment Relations Authority, which found the suspension was unjustified and awarded her $5000.

ERA member Vicki Campbell also penalised the trust a further $3000 for breaching good faith as an employer, half of which will also go to Ms Te Riini.

Ms Campbell said she found it "illogical" that Ms Savage continued to have direct communication with Ms Te Riini, given their history.

The situation came to a head after Ms Savage left "two demanding voicemail messages" on Ms Te Riini's phone, demanding that she turn up for a meeting last September 1, Ms Campbell found.

Ms Savage also threatened Ms Te Riini with a warning for insubordination if she did not attend.

Despite being away from work sick, Ms Te Riini went in for the meeting.

Ms Savage was two and a half hours late and "became very hostile".

She wanted copies of staff employment agreements but Ms Te Riini believed that these were confidential.

"Other employees who were present at the hauora [health centre] that day were threatened with dismissal and Ms Te Riini herself was suspended," Ms Campbell said.

The police were called in by staff and Ms Savage, and Ms Campbell said the threats of dismissal to staff were the subject of another personal grievance claim.

After the meeting Ms Savage wrote to the trust board and described Ms Te Riini's behaviour as "a tantrum and display of contempt".

The board confirmed the suspension and told Ms Te Riini not to go to work while an investigation tookplace.

The board's investigation took two months and found that the relationship between staff and the board was dysfunctional and strained.

Ms Campbell said Ms Te Riini was suspended in the heat of the moment and that the board acted prematurely.

"When the trust confirmed Ms Te Riini's suspension it provided no reasons for the suspension and neither did it disclose the conduct which required investigation."

Ms Savage has since been stood down as chairwoman.

She told the Herald the physical confrontation never happened. "I believe it is totally wrong."

Asked about her current circumstances, she said she was "at home at the moment".

She declined to answer any questions about the outcome of the ERA investigation.

Ms Te Riini could not be contacted.