Hi Rod, thanks for responding.
This happened the week before Easter, I'm under the manufacturing and related industries award. I was never told at which level I was being employed at but I was employed as a welder at $27ph with no formal qualification ( which he knew at the interview) I have 15+ years experience in the steel industry.
I had an argument with the owner who is also the GM because he told me I went about it the wrong way (questioning OT and 40hr work week). The conversation got heated quickly and only verbally, I felt a lot of pressure to sign the confidentiality agreement and all morning prior to the argument he was clearly angry with me and let me and all the staff in the office know it by his actions. So I told him i needed time out and I left the factory before things could escalate further. I took my welding mask with me and went home. The next morning at 6am I sent him a txt asking if he still wanted me to come in and he didn't reply so I sent 2 more txts, one of them asking if I still had a job which he also didn't reply to. At 6.30am I sent another asking if he wants me to bring the key back and he replied at 10am saying yes that would be great. I called him at 4pm that day to try to sort it out and he said that I had abandoned my job.
I didn't sign the confidentiality agreement. I also haven't added up what I'm owed.
Apparently they are in going by the award flexibility clause within the manufacturing and related industries award and can basically do whatever they like. I have an issue with this because when I started there they didn't say anything to me about not paying double time or the fact that they have a 40hr work week.
I am still waiting for my separation certificate.