A charitable trust supporting people with disabilities and mental health problems has been penalised for breaching collective employment agreements and indirectly misleading 200 union workers.
The Employment Relations Authority has found the Patients and Community Trust Group indirectly misled union workers during the bargaining process.
It ordered the trust to pay more than $7000 in penalties.
The workers belong to the Public Service Association and the Service and Food Workers Union.
PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff says the decision should send a message to other employers to be honest and not to trick staff or undermine their union.
Mr Wagstaff says part of the outcome is the unions and employer will discuss how to rectify the outstanding differences between union and non-union workers.
The trust says it will appeal against the ruling.
