Safeway Members Vote for the EBA AGREEMENT The Safeway Negotiating Committee agreed that a proposal for the settlement of the Safeway Agreement negotiations be recommended to Safeway Members.   CAMPAIGN Safeway members participated in a very successful campaign undertaking weeks of industrial action involving 24 hour stoppages by workers at more than 30 stores and targeted action at 10 stores in metropolitan and regional Victoria.  Many workers at other Safeway stores throughout Victoria also volunteered to participate in the campaign if required.   CUSTOMER SUPPORT The action at stores included distributing leaflets to customers explaining the dispute, and at the suggestion of a customer on Day One of the dispute, having a petition for customers to sign.  Over 3000 customers signed the petition in support of your efforts to keep the integrity of butchering as a trade and your rights to a decent wage, including a penalty for weekend work.  The customers also understood the morality of your demand that future employees be entitled to the same conditions as current employees.   MEETING At the end of the second week of industrial action Safeway rang the Union office and agreed to meet and bargain in good faith to end the dispute. Safeway management met with the Union on Monday 23rd September.    PROPOSAL Safeway agreed to drop their claim for the slicer classification and to drop their proposal to cut out the 75% penalty for Saturday work for any new employees.  It was agreed to put this new Safeway proposal to the Negotiating Committee the next day.  The Committee then agreed to recommend the following proposal to members. PROPOSAL ENDORSED BY NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE Agreement to be for three years. Pay Increase:      3.5% from 24/09/2002                           3.5% from 24/09/2003                         3.5% from 24/09/2004     Public Holidays: 250% for Public Holidays to be worked on a voluntary basis. Shift Allowances to no longer apply. Ordinary spread of hours Monday to Friday 5am to 6pm.              Administrative Issues Delete word 'exclusive' from clause 5.1.1. (Union Recognition) Probationary period. Parental Leave for casuals in line with Federal Test Case. Part timers additional hours above contracted hours up to a maximum of 38 hours per week to be paid at a 25% loading. Rewrite clauses in plain English. Agreement to negotiate the redundancy clause if it becomes an issue. ALL OTHER SAFEWAY CHANGES HAVE BEEN REJECTED.  SAFEWAY WANTED TO: Introduce a two-tiered system where new staff received lesser pay and conditions than existing staff; Include Sunday in ordinary rostered hours; Remove penalty payment 6pm to 10 pm Monday to Saturday; Reduce Sunday penalty to 50%; Reduce minimum working hours on a Public Holiday from 4 to 3; Reduce minimum casual and part time hours from 4 to 3; Reduce casuals' pay by 5%; Eliminate Rostered Days Off from work cycles; Offer time off in lieu of payment for overtime; Abandon trade qualifications and introduce new categories of retail butcher and meat slicer; Extend the duties of Packers and Cabinet Attendants; Introduce junior rates for Cabinet Attendants Reduce junior pay rates; Cut pay for 3rd year butchers' apprentices.   These claims have all been rejected by the Committee and will not be part of the new Agreement.   This is an outstanding result.  It has been obtained because Safeway members were prepared to stand up and defend their conditions.