Lollipop revolt

By Kelly Yates
A NARRE Warren mother is rallying support to try to save the job of a school crossing supervisor at Fountain Gate Primary School.
But the council says it can’t spare any crossing supervisors during school terms, especially in winter.
Heather Allen said she was disgusted that the City of Casey allegedly told school crossing supervisor Sue Rowlands they wouldn’t grant her leave this month to visit her terminally ill brother-in-law in Sydney.
Ms Allen said Casey council told Ms Rowlands she wouldn’t have a job to come home to if she left because of a ban on staff taking holidays from June to September.
Casey CEO Mike Tyler said school crossing supervisors took their jobs knowing that they must be available to work throughout the school terms and have their holidays during the school holidays.
Ms Allen said Ms Rowlands got a call three weeks ago to say her brother-in-law had stage four cancer. “She didn’t have a choice. It’s a family matter and she has to go. When she asked the council for the time off they simply told her ‘no’.”
Ms Allen has been getting local parents and grandparents to sign a petition in an effort to save Ms Rowlands’ job, which she has had for more than 24 years. Ms Allen said Ms Rowlands would be flying to Sydney tomorrow (Friday) regardless of her job status.
“We want to put pressure on Casey council so she will get her job back at the Prospect Hill Road crossing,” Ms Allen said.
But Mr Tyler said it was impossible to grant additional leave at this time of year.
“Due to increased absences generally resulting from seasonal illness, the council needs to balance both the needs of the school crossing supervisors and the needs of the community as the council cannot safely provide the school crossing service without its school crossing supervisors,” he said.