On Wednesday 11 February your representatives met with the company to continue the EBA negotiations.
Whilst we were hopeful of moving towards finalising the EBA it would appear that the company wanted to take an adversarial approach towards the discussions. The Unions and your delegates quickly formed the view that the company was not there to try and finalise anything.
Company Newsletter
By now most of you would have received a company EBA update from Daniela Marsilli which would be absolutely laughable if things weren’t so serious.
Company statement 1
“the TWU provided a list of changes…….(the company) explained that (they) did not intend to give in to each and every union demand”
Fact – Let’s be clear about the list of changes provided, the changes for the most part were minor and were predominantly reworking of clauses to make them clearer and to provide protections around ongoing representation for our members.
Company statement 2
“It seems that the Unions no longer wish to engage in negotiations”
Fact – The Unions have been effectively engaged in negotiations with the company for 18 months and have in principally agreed on many changes to the EBA that would deliver significant long term savings to the business whilst balancing the needs for improvements for current employees.
Company statement 3
“the package we have put to the unions is fair and reasonable”
Fact – At our meeting on Tuesday the company could not even articulate its actual position to us, could not provide us with actual pay rates and appeared to have memory loss in relation to issues that they had previously agreed to. The company have also refused to pay back-pay even though the delays in these negotiations have always been at the request of the business
Company statement 4
“(the companies) intention is to put the agreement out for a vote”
Fact – For the company to do this is an absolute slap in the face to you and your workmates who have worked hard to try to deliver you a fair and reasonable deal.
If the company do put this agreement out to a vote without the union’s endorsement then we will absolutely be running a NO campaign and encouraging you to vote the agreement down.
Enough is enough, it’s time to act.
It’s time to send a clear message to the company that enough is enough. You have been patient, co-operative, taken modest increases, agreed to short term agreements and trusted the company to deliver a fair and reasonable outcome, not to take advantage of your good will.
The unions and negotiating team have agreed that the next course of action needs to be a ballot of members to endorse legally protected industrial action.
Don’t get caught up in the spin
The company claims that you will receive a 5% pay increase in the first year (3% January 2015 and 2% July 2015). What they fail to tell you is that morally they should be paying you a percentage increase from 1 July 2014.
Your last pay increase was from 1 July 2013 and with the company not offering an increase before January 2015 then this really means they’re offering a 2.5 % pay increase for that 18 month period (without back pay for the first 6 months) and then another 2.5% in July 2015.
What it really means is a 5% increase over 2 years NOT the 12 months that they have claimed.
Where to next?
If the company put the agreement out for a vote then you need to ensure that you vote NO!
If you’re not in the Union you need to join.
Members need to ensure your personal details such as home address and emails are up to date with the union. This is important to conduct a ballot for industrial action.
You need to stick together.
Members Meetings
Members meetings will be held in your workplace, please make sure you attend. The date and time will be sent to you and posted on the noticeboards.
