Roadshow Employees Prestons Union updates
Your union, the National Union of Workers is working closely with your site Delegates, Organising committee and Union members to improve the
working conditions of all employees at the Prestons Distribution Centre. As a modern union that represents distribution employees around the country we understand the pressures that our members and their families face every day in trying to balance work and family .We understand that in the year 2009 our lives are getting busier and more demanding both at work and home. We hear that loud and clear.
How do we know this?
Because The National Union of Workers is a modern union covering the following Industries:
warehousing and distribution; food manufacturing;
rubber;
plastic and cable-making; dairy;
cold storage; poultry;
fish and game processing; skin and hide;
wool; oil; pet food; pharmaceutical manufacturing; milling; market research;
Merchandising and sales representatives.
We represent all full-time, casual and part-time workers in those industries.
With such a diverse and large membership that covers many industries the common message from all our members is same. They want a union that will stand with them during these demanding times now and into the future. And that’s why they are members of National Union of Workers .
In each and every workplace we strive to improve the wages and conditions of each and every member so they can balance their work with their family responsibilities.
What’s happening with your EBA Negotiations?
Your delegates and your union the NUW have been working hard
to not only maintain your current working conditions but also to improve on them.
Below is a small snapshot on where we are up to and what we need to do.
Roadshow has asked you to change the way you currently work your 37.5 hr week.
Right now you work:
Day shift 6.30am to 2.30pm
Afternoon shift 2.30pm to 10.30pm 15min paid tea break
30 min unpaid lunch break / meal break 7.5hrs a day
37.5 hrs a week. Mon – Fri
Note: the award tea break is 10 mins but on average 15mins is a common industry practice in a lot of workplaces including yours. On top of this, afternoon shift also get a paid 20 min meal break under the award.
Currently Roadshow Distribution centre Prestons don’t pay this entitlement but should.
Roadshow has asked for a change of working hours from what you currently work (see above) to what’s called average hours.
Here is an example of how a roster can be worked under the average of hour’s clause. PLEASE bear in mind that Roadshow has said they can issue monthly rosters that can be changed with 7 days notice to suite the business needs.
One example of how a roster could work for a week on average hours
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Dayshift Dayshift Dayshift Dayshift Dayshift
6am to 6pm 6am to 4pm 6am to10am 6am to 10am 6am to 3pm 12hrs less 30min lunch 10hrs less 30min No Break No Break 9hrs less 30mins 11.5hrs worked 9.5 hrs worked 4hrs worked 4 hrs worked 8.5hrs Worked 7.5 hrs Paid 7.5hrs Paid 7.5hrs Paid 7.5hrs Paid 7.5 Paid
Afternoonshift Afternoon shift Afternoonshift Afternoon shift Afternoon shift
6pm to 6am 4pm to 2am 10am to 2pm 10am to 2pm 3pm to 11pm 12hrs less 10mins 10hrs less 10 mins No break No break 9hrs less 10mins 11hrs 50 min worked 9hrs 50 mins worked 4hrs worked 4hrs worked 8hrs 50 mins worked
7.5 hrs paid 7.5 hrs Paid 7.5 hrs Paid 7.5 hrs paid 7.5hrs paid
Average for day shift over week is 37.5 hrs total Average for afternoon shift for week is 37.5 hrs total
This is just one example. The roster can be changed in so many ways. But we have heard our membership loud and clear on this issue. You have all told us that these rosters would effect your family life in such a way that it would be impossible to balance work with family.
We agree totally and understand the pressure it would put on your families, many have explained to us how difficult it is now to try and balance their lives. Usually both Mum and Dad are working a lot of the time on opposite shifts passing each other at the door, as one walks in the other walks out just trying to make ends meet and save some precious dollars on ever increasing child care fees. And this is with set rosters many cant imagine and indeed most have said it would be impossible for them to work at all if these rosters were implemented.
The National Union of Workers will not support any changes to rosters. That will effect so many of our members in such a negative way.
How do we stop this?
By becoming a union member and standing together with the rest of your work mates. We can not only stop this from happening, but we can improve on what we have already. As in all union work places when every one joins together great things can be achieved.
The company has agreed to pay afternoon shift their 20 min meal break. In agreeing to do this they have advised they will take 5 mins from everyone’s tea break, bringing all tea breaks to 10 mins. Again you have all told us this is unacceptable. We will continue to push forward on keeping the 15 min tea break while maintaining the 20 min paid meal break for afternoon shift. The company has also agreed to pay each employee 1 paid day off a year. This is called the Employee’s birthday day.
In the past every employee should have been getting a paid day off as their Picnic day under the Award.
Roadshow never gave this instead gave employee’s their birthday off. Again this often happens in other workplaces where companies don’t call it a picnic day as such, but staff still receive the entitlement regardless of what it’s called.
Pay Increase?
The company has put an offer forward, on the condition of accepting averaging of hours roster,
Year 1 Year 2 & Year 3 3.25% 0.5% on top of the Dollar Amount Fair Work Australia hands down to low wage workers.
We can’t give you any idea on what those increases will be as Fair Work Australia hasn’t decided themselves.
This has been explained to all on site and out right rejected. Your union is seeking fair and reasonable wage increases for
Years 1, 2 & 3 as our initial claim endorsed from our members on site. And will continue to do so as directed by all NUW members.
The NUW does have a bargaining period in place and will explain further what that means with the membership in due course.
How is the bargaining process started?
Unions, employees or employers wishing to take industrial action in pursuit of a new collective agreement must first notify the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) that they are starting the bargaining process this is a bargaining period.
Anybody wishing to know more about this process log onto
http://www.airc.gov.au/dispute/bargaining.htm
Negotiating the Enterprise agreement isn’t the only thing the union is doing. If people remember one of the first things the NUW did before moving forward with starting the EBA was a questioner on what the members at Roadshow Prestons wanted to improve in the workplace.
Straight away we took this up with your management and requested a OH&S committee be set up. We were told this was going to happen ASAP Yet to date this has not happened.
Your union shares the same concerns on safety as you do.
A safe work place is one of the most important things for workers and there unions.
All workers should leave work in same health as they started Under Section 17 of the OHS act.
1. OHS committees.
An OHS committee is to be established for the purposes of consultation under this Division if the employer employs 20 or more persons in the employer’s undertaking and a majority of those employees request the establishment of the committee or if Work Cover so directs. More than one committee is to be established if a majority of those employees request their establishment and the employer agrees or if Work Cover so directs.
2. OHS representatives
An OHS representative is to be elected for the purposes of consultation under this Division if at least one of the persons employed by the employer requests the election of the representative or if Work Cover so directs. The employees may elect more than one OHS representative if the employer agrees or if Work Cover so directs.
3. Other agreed arrangements
Other agreed arrangements for consultation with employees are to be made in accordance with any requirements of the regulations. A Federal or State industrial organization (UNION) of employees may represent, for the purposes of consultation under the agreed arrangements, any of those employees who request the organisation to represent them.
Unions have the power to make this happen and we will be seeking
Work Covers assistance in forming the OHS committee if we don’t have a set date for the establishment of one by our meeting this Wednesday 24th June, 2009.
And as a member of the NUW to help with your Workers compensation
claim you have legal representation with the law firm Slater & Gordon. Free of Charge for NUW members
If you are injured at work you should notify your employer and your union (delegate) immediately. Remember it is your right to see your own treating Doctor the company can not force you to make there doctor your treating Doctor. Always exercise your rights no one knows you better than your own family Doctor.
For more information or assistance talk to your Delegates or contact the Union office on 9682 4622.
To further assist with your workplace injury,
as a member of the NUW we have our own recommended rehabilitation service you can use at no cost to yourself
JOIN THE NUW AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
See your site delegates today and talk to them about becoming
a member.
Day Shift Delegates Afternoon Shift Delegates
Martin Rudolph Tom Olaaiga
Patrick Berton Rex Rizaldy
NUW Officials
James Nero 0415 492773
[email protected]
Garry Cripps 0423 593344 [email protected]
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