15th November 2004 UNION ORGANISATION Health and Safety Representative Support Officer WorkSafe Victoria has recognized the key role performed by active Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) in making workplaces safer and healthier.  The Victorian Government through Minister Rob Hulls has provided funding for support officers for health and safety representatives. The A.M.I.E.U. is one of the Unions that have been provided with funding for a HSR Support Officer.  Paul Conway has been appointed to the position.  Paul's job will be: · To make contact with and provide support for the HSRs who have already been elected. · To assist workers in negotiating Designated Work Groups in workplaces where not already negotiated. · To encourage election of HSR where they are currently not in place. · To establish a database of HSR in the meat industry. · To assist HSRs with workplace inspections on request · To assist HSRs negotiations with employers on request. · To provide HSRs with information about solutions that have been applied in similar workplaces. · To establish a meat workers' regional HSR network in particular to learn from other workplaces and to keep them up to date on new regulations and codes of practice. · To develop a regular Meat Workers' HSR newsletter with stories of successes and solutions. New Organiser The funding is for a full time position for 12 months.  Taking on this role means that Paul Conway will step down as a Union Organiser for the 12 month period.  The Union has appointed Colin Drew as an Organiser for 12 months to allow Paul Conway to take on the HSR support role. Colin comes from Vodusek Cobram, where he worked since 1989 and where he has been the Works Delegate for the last 5 years. Organising Arrangements Colin will organize all the workers in the north of Victoria and will have an office in Bendigo.  This means that Jim Brittain will be able to take over most of the works looked after by Paul Conway. Jim will now have responsibility for Southwestern Victoria and will have an office in Colac. Important Role  The HSR Support role is an extremely important position. The AMIEU has always regarded the health and safety of its members of fundamental importance.  Paul Conway was a Health and Safety Representative and Union Delegate for many years, and has represented the Union, along with Gwynnyth Evans, on many WorkSafe Meat Industry committees. Paul will do an extremely good job in raising the level of awareness and organization of HSRs and thus bring about a considerable drop in the number of injuries to meat workers. AMIEU members are urged to read the Health and Safety Newsletter that has just been issued. CHANGES TO THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY ACT Paul's appointment comes at a time when the Bracks Government has just announced changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act that cement and strengthen the role of HSRs as a cornerstone in the prevention of unsafe work practices.  Some of the major changes to the OH&S Act are: 1. Right of Entry for a properly accredited Union official to investigate suspected breaches of the OH&S laws.  This will enable the Union to get access to workplaces where employers are not complying with their duties to provide safe workplaces, and where workers are consequently being put at risk. 2. A substantial increase in financial penalties for putting a worker at risk by failing to provide a safe workplace.  The penalty will increase from $256,250 to $922,500 for a company and from $51,250 to $184,500 for an individual. 3. Up to 5 years gaol for first time offenders for knowingly exposing a person to risk of serious injury or death.  4. Clarifying that reference to "health" means psychological as well as physical health. 5. New sentencing options of safety improvement and adverse publicity orders. 6. The role of HSRs has been strengthened with the right to ongoing training paid for by the employer. AMIEU FEDERAL OFFICE New Location Following the retirement of Tom Hannan as Federal Secretary, the Union determined to close the Federal Office in Sydney and transfer it to the Queensland Branch office.  The new Federal Office is at: 1/39 Lytton Rd East Brisbane QLD 4169. Federal Secretary Ross Richardson, the Queensland Branch Secretary, has been elected as the new Federal Secretary.  Federal President The Victorian Branch Secretary, Graham Bird, has been elected Federal President. FEDERAL ELECTION RESULT Bad News for Workers The re-election of the Liberal/National Party Government, with control over both Houses of Parliament from July 2005, means that Australian workers are going to be subjected to some very savage attacks upon their working conditions.  All-Powerful Employers The Government's aim is to return Australia to the pre-Trade Union days of the "Master and Servant" Acts where the employer had total power over all employment conditions, and the worker had none. Anti-Worker Legislation Legislation waiting to be passed includes taking away the right of workers in small workplaces to argue they have been unfairly dismissed, the recent decision of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) which granted redundancy payments to employees in small workplaces and to restrict the number of issues that can be included in enterprise agreements. Workers Need Union Strength Between now and July 2005 they will be devising other ways to restrict workers' ability to obtain decent working conditions. One of the consequences of this will be that the divide between Union and non-Union workplaces will grow even greater. For workers in the meat industry strong Union membership will be more than ever the best way of securing and maintaining proper wages and conditions. COMMON RULE AWARDS Kennett Legacy The forthcoming attacks on workers' conditions by the Howard Government were preceded in Victoria by the Kennett attack. In 1992 the Kennett Government overnight took away from about 600,000 workers the protection of Award conditions.  He left a "safety net" of a very low minimum hourly rate of pay, 5 days sick leave, Long Service Leave, Annual Leave with no loading, and Maternity Leave.  All other protections and conditions were removed, such as overtime and shift penalties, public holiday penalties, Workers' Compensation make up pay etc.  Transfer to Federal Award Over time Unions were able to transfer almost 300,000 of those disadvantaged workers across to Federal Award coverage, which brought back those conditions.  But still almost 300,000 workers were left to the mercy of the Kennett Provisions. New Worker Protection The Union movement and the Bracks Labor Government have now been able to protect the remaining 300,000 workers. From 1 January 2005, all workers not covered by Federal Awards or Agreements will have the protection of a Common Rule Award, which means that their conditions cannot be less than the appropriate Federal Award. Federal Meat Industry Award  In the meat industry, retail shops, smallgoods factories, boning rooms, abattoirs, and all associated meat by-products works will now have the same minimum conditions as the FMIA. AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE AGREEMENTS - DON'T BE CONNED! Common Rule Provisions Some employers will attempt to con their workers into signing AWAs so that they can avoid the common rule conditions.  Workers should refuse to sign these AWAs. Threats A number of employers, including Castricum Brothers Dandenong, are forcing employees to sign AWAs under threat of a lockout or job loss.  This is bad enough in itself, and illegal, although the Liberal Government's Workplace Relations Act and Minister Andrews' lackey, the employment advocate, encourages this sort of industrial thuggery. Furthermore, employees (particularly the new, the young, and the naïve) are being convinced by these Companies that once they sign an AWA they cannot be members of the Union.  This is absolute rubbish and should be resisted at all costs.  If you are in the unfortunate position of having been conned or forced onto an AWA it is more important than ever to remain a Union member to protect your rights! MINIMUM WAGE RISE Trade Unions Fight for Wage Increases Many workers who work under an Award seem to think that any wage increase they receive is either given to them by their employer or by the Government.  This of course is nonsense.  Their wage increase, like every other condition that they have, is obtained for them by their Trade Unions. Current Claim The ACTU is currently seeking a $26.60 wage increase on behalf of the 1.6 million Australian workers who are covered by Awards.  This wage claim would bring the minimum adult wage payable in Australia to $13 an hour or $494 for a 38-hour week.  If successful it would also increase all rates above the minimum. The Howard Government and employer groups have opposed every wage case the ACTU has run, and have indicated they will do so this time.  This is despite the Government proclaiming that the economy has never been better and that most companies are enjoying record profits with the top 100 CEOs in Australia receiving 47% wage increases last year.  The case will be heard in February next year with a decision likely in May 2005. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS - Proclamation The holiday arrangements for Christmas/New Year as proclaimed by the Bracks Government are as follows: Saturday 25 December is NOT a public holiday, but for supermarkets it is a non-trading day. Sunday 26 December is a public holiday Monday 27 December is a public holiday Tuesday 28 December is a public holiday Saturday 1 January 2005 is a public holiday Monday 3 January 2005 is a public holiday. For our Supermarket Members, this is how it should work: Coles/BiLo Permanent Employees Coles Myer management has informed the Union that: If you are rostered to work on Saturday 25 December you will not be required to work and Coles/BiLo will pay you as if you had worked. All work on Sunday 26 December is paid at 350%. All work on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 December is at 250%. Working on any of these days is voluntary. Work on Saturday 1 January is paid at 325%. Work on Monday 3 January is paid at 250%. Work on either Saturday 1 January or Monday 3 January is voluntary. Woolworths/Safeway The Union has asked Woolworths/Safeway what their intention is in relation to Christmas Day, Saturday 25th December.  They have not yet replied. They may treat it as they treat Easter Sunday and require those rostered to work on a Saturday to work, or else to take it as an Annual Leave day. They could show some Christmas spirit and follow the example of Coles and allow their work force to enjoy Christmas with their families, paid for by the Company! Permanent Employees: If you are asked to work on 25 December and agree to do so, you should be paid 225%. All work on Sunday 26 December will be paid at 250%, as will work on Monday 27 December and Tuesday 28 December.  Work on these public holidays is voluntary. Work on Saturday 1 January is paid at 250%. Work on Monday 3 January is paid at 250%. Work on 1 January and 3 January is voluntary. UNION SHOPPER As from 1st December 2004, AMIEU members will have access to Union Shopper. Union Shopper originated in Queensland, but has since spread throughout Australia.   What Does It Do? Union Shopper provides discounts and savings on a very large range of products and services, including beauty products, electrical, homeware, software,  travel and accommodation, and more (see the list below).    How does it work?  You decide on the product you are after, call Union Shopper quoting your Union membership number and give them the details of the product, and your Union Shopper consultant will phone you back within 24 hours with the best price available from a Union Shopper supplier. Once you place your order with Union Shopper, the supplier will contact you to arrange payment and delivery.  See the Union Shopper brochure, available from your Union Organiser, for more details.