Enterprise Bargaining Agreement 2002 No. 7

Date 1/11/2002 

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 Attention!

All Meat room Butchers, Packers, Apprentices and Cleaners

Woolworth's Desperation!

By now even the least intelligent of the Woolworth's Human Resource team must have concluded that the majority of meat room workers are not happy about trading off future employees entitlements for a miserable 3.5% wage increase per year.

The company has ignored the provisions of the Workplace Relations Act and have refused to bargain in good faith from the first day the Union initiated a Bargaining Period in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. 

Workers have had to put up with the following intimidation and harassment by the company:

Ø      Security firms at shopping centres harassing members who have been peacefully protesting to members of the public outside Woolworth's stores

Ø      Shopping Centre Managers claiming that our members were trespassing.

Ø      Woolworth's Loss Prevention staff intimidating workers by taking photographs of them without their permission - creating the fear of possible future retribution (again this would be in breach of the Workplace Relations Act)

Ø      Apprentices being threatened and told their indentures will be cancelled if they participate in protected industrial action (again in breach of the Workplace Relations Act)

Ø      Members being informed that their overtime would be stopped for the duration of this dispute -(in contravention of the requirements that the employer must follow as per the Workplace Relations Act)

Ø      Attempting to deliberately mislead workers into believing that the company had reached agreement with the Union when this was not the case.

Ø    Misinformed workers about the level of Union membership in the meat rooms with the obvious intention of portraying the Union as weak.

Why Have You Been Singled Out for This Treatment?

The sole reason that you have copped this and other forms of harassment and have been subjected to a constant barrage of company propaganda is quite simple.

You have dared to question the morality of accepting a very small pay increase that would ultimately come out of the wallets and purses of future fellow workers.

You have been made aware of the massive after tax profits ($523M up on the previous years profit of 22%)

You have had the courage to defend your conditions of employment.

Prior to the Union campaigning for the 1st EBA, Woolworth's workers were on the very low wage structure of the State Meat Industry Award - you are now the highest paid supermarket butchers, packers and apprentices in Australia - however this will not last for long if this industrially immoral company gets away with eroding future conditions.

The latest myths being circulated by the Company

1   Apprentices are not allowed to go on Strike

Ø     Reality: Apprentices who participate in Protected Industrial Action are covered by the Workplace Relations Act it is an offence under the Act for any employer to threaten in any way, any employee who takes such action.

2       Because of the Union's actions you won't get your Long  Service Leave entitlements after 10 years!

Ø    Reality: If you resign or are terminated by the company after 10 years continuous service the company HAVE to pay out your Pro Rata Long Service Leave entitlement.

What the company offered was no more than any reasonable employer would grant to any long serving employee. It does not cost them anything to do so - the fact that they are threatening to take this meagre offering off you only proves that they are not a reasonable employer!

3      As an existing employee these change will never affect you!

Ø    Reality: It will affect you if you ever resign from the company due to personal circumstances and seek re employment with Woolworths at a later date.

Ø    It will affect you if you have sons and daughters other relatives or friends who want employment with Woolworths as butchers, packers or apprentices

Ø    It will affect you because you will know that you have contributed to losing conditions that your parents and grand parents fought to achieve!

Meat room employees at the following stores have shown a reluctance to support your efforts. Kwinana, Rockingham, Waikiki, Currambine, Maddington and Riverton

The following stores have supported the campaign: Morley, Dianella, Ballajura, Spearwood Armadale, Kelmscott, Belmont, Beechboro, Kingsway, Bull Creek, Northam, Karrinyup, Subiaco, Midland Centre Point, Midland Gate, Warwick, Warnbro, Success, Armadale (2nd Time) Kelmscott (2nd Time) Joondalup, Victoria Park, Floreat, Morley (2nd time) Dianella (2nd Time), Cannington, Ballajura (2nd time) with more to follow ......congratulations well done!

If you know fellow workers who are opposed to your struggle please contact them and invite them to participate....If you are not part of the solution - Then you are part of the problem!