UNITE ASU Victorian Private Sector Branch Magazine DECEMBER 2014
Unions shaping our society
National Conference 2014
How unions are shaping our society
We Are Union Campaign
Union members changing the way we campaign
Election Result
How union members helped change government
Taking action for Avalon staff Standing up for Avalon Airport
The Call Centre Pledge
The ASU commitment to OHS
UNITE December 2014
UNITE December 2014
CONTENTS 1 State of the union Branch Secretary Ingrid Stitt
2 Industrial Wrap
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We Are Union Campaign
Authorised by Ingrid Stitt, Branch Secretary Australian Services Union Victorian Private Sector Branch 2nd Floor, 116 Queensberry St Carlton South VIC 3053 P: (03) 9342 3300 E: info@asupsvic.org
STATE of the UNION
Our living standards are under more and more pressure, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
A message from your branch secretary
4 National Conference
There is no doubt that 2014 has been a challenging year for many ASU industries and workplaces. I want to pay tribute to those hard working ASU members and Delegates who this year fell victim to the jobs crisis in our state in workplaces like Qantas, Target, Transurban and many other private sector companies where jobs were shed.
5 We Are Union Campaign Labor Wins
6 Taking Action for Avalon Staff Qantas Offshore Sage Continues
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7 Breast Cancer Fundraising Barbecue Member Spotlight: Meet Frank
8 The Call Centre Pledge
Back Ask Terry
Taking Action for Avalon Staff
The union will always fight hard for decent jobs – jobs where there is permanency and where workers can have access to basic entitlements like sick leave, holiday pay and long service leave. But all too often in Australia the new jobs being created are insecure and working people end up without basic protections. A staggering 40% of jobs in our economy are now insecure in nature – casual, labour hire or in some cases sham ‘independent contracts’ mean no employee benefits at all. It’s a bleak picture and no-one wants Australia to have an underclass of ‘working poor’ like the inequality that exists in other countries like the USA.
The Union will always fight hard for decent jobs – jobs where there is permanency and where workers can have access to basic entitlements like sick leave, holiday pay and long service leave. Our living standards are under more and more pressure, but it doesn’t have to be this way. That why 2015 will be such a critical year and why I am asking every ASU member to help to build a vision for Australia that puts working people and their families at the centre. Last month we sent out a survey that will help shape our campaigns and build momentum for the kind of Australia we all want to live in.
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National Conference
With the recent election of the Andrews Labor Government the ASU will be working hard to ensure that the important commitments Labor made to ASU members are upheld. In
particular we will be working hard to ensure that the Labor commitment to require service sector companies tendering for government contracts to employ locally rather than utilising off-shore workers is fully implemented. We also look forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure that Avalon airport has a strong and viable future as Victoria’s second airport. I highly recommend that ASU members check out our new website for all the latest workplace and industry news and to follow us on twitter and like us on Facebook to get up to the minute union and campaign news. I wish all ASU members all the very best for the holiday season, and all of us at the ASU office look forward to the privilege of working with you again in 2015. In unity, Ingrid Stitt ASU Branch Secretary
FINANCIAL RETURNS AUDIT COMPLIANCE Audited Accounts Available In line with the reporting requirements contained in the Fair Work Act, the ASU’s audited accounts for the period ending 30 June 2014 are available on the ASU website and can be downloaded at
www.asuvic.org/about/compliance-governance/ 1
UNITE December 2014
UNITE December 2014
INDUSTRIAL WRAP David Leydon
A message from the David Leydon, Branch Assistant Secretary
What’s been going on in your workplace?
A big year lies ahead for all workers in 2015 as the Abbott Government slowly starts to introduce some of the legislative changes it wants to make to workplace laws. These changes are designed to make it easier for employers to attack your terms and conditions of employment.
RACV - Roadside Assistance Centre
It is crucial in the face of any attacks on your workplace conditions that all Union members remember some basic things. There is strength in unity. There is strength in working collectively.
In a disappointing development RACV management then announced they would be appealing Commissioner Roe’s decision and the matter will now go before a Full Bench hearing in March 2015.
This will happen at two levels. Firstly we must ensure we protect all the hard won conditions of the past if employers seek to remove them. Secondly we must steadily and responsibly seek to improve the conditions of employment and the working lives of our members in each and every one of these bargaining negotiations. ASU members have a long and proud history of taking up the fight in their workplaces. In recent times we have had many long and sustained campaigns at places like Qantas, RACV, Armaguard and Tenix where members jobs or terms and conditions have been threatened. In 2015 the fight will continue. ASU members supported by their union staying active, strong and united will always prevail over bad legislation. Stick together everyone. David Leydon Branch Assistant Secretary 2
RACV Members and ‘Stop’ for (stop attacking our conditions!)
Tenix Delegate, Domenica de Maria
The most recent dispute was over management attempts to alter the long standing annualised wage system that has operated in the RAC for 30 years. Following many long hearings Commissioner Roe of the Fair Work Commission handed down a decision which protected the key items for ASU members around how their sick leave, annual leave and long service leave are calculated.
The ASU will continue to work hard for our members to ensure the best possible outcomes in any Enterprise Bargaining negotiations.
RACV MCC Delegates
Members in the Roadside Assistance Centre (RAC) continue to stand their ground following last years bargaining dispute.
Already they have made noises about bringing back large parts of the Workchoices legislation that was condemned to the dustbin of history some seven years ago. High on the list of those changes will be things like individual contracts of employment.
It was the united strength of workers and the Union movement Australia wide that fought off Workchoices in 2007. That same unity must now prevail in 2015 and the years ahead.
RACV Industrial Action
The ASU will, of course, defend our members’ position in the course of this appeal process The ASU will of course defend our members position in the course of this appeal process. One thing that is certain is that the wonderful group of determined ASU members in the RAC will not take a backward step in any way when it comes to defending attacks on their conditions.
RACV | Member Contact Centre Members in the MCC continue to keep management accountable. Following a recent survey of ASU members regarding workplace stress levels in the MCC the ASU sought meetings with management to discuss the results of the survey. Management refused to meet and the Union notified a dispute to the Fair Work Commission. Following a conference at the Commission management agreed to meet with ASU reps to discuss their workplace concerns. As a forerunner to this meeting the ASU has written to
management setting out on an issue by issue basis all of the concerns raised by members around workplace stress. Once ASU reps have met with management we will demand a series of steps and procedures be put in place to guard against all of the stress issues identified by our members.
RACV | Retail The new RACV Retail EBA negotiations are well under way. Once again management have sought to attack the long standing terms and conditions of workers in their Retail business area. The ASU is working closely with these employees to fight off the attacks and to gain a fair outcome for our members in RACV Retail.
The ASU is working closely with these employees to fight off the attacks and to gain a fair outcome for our members in RACV Retail.
Tenix The Union recently conducted a Stress Survey at Tenix which has produced some alarming results. Delegates Helen Grover, Pete Morrish and Dom DeMaria together with ASU Branch Assistant Secretary David Leydon have a series of meetings arranged with Tenix management in the coming weeks to address all of these issues.
Sigma After months of negotiations for a new EBA, ASU members at Sigma have recently voted down an inferior offer from Sigma management. The parties are now holding further discussions on a revised proposal.
Other Bargaining A number of EBA negotiations continue across a range of ASU workplaces including Prosegur (formerly Chubb), Incolink, Slater & Gordon and Startrack. Negotiations will also kick off in the next few months for new agreements at a number of workplaces including Maurice Blackburn, John Sands and Toll Ipec. 3
UNITE December 2014
UNITE December 2014
National Conference
We Are Union
Getting us ready for the fight ahead
Campaign Wrap Up
The ASU Biennial National Conference was held last month on 17-19 November at the ME Bank Centre in Melbourne.
sought to remove penalty rates from workers across the hospitality industry.
This year’s Conference theme was “unions shaping our society” and was aimed at understanding the role of the union movement in achieving a better Australia through community building and collective action.
It means unfair changes that threaten the very core of workplace rights and conditions, occupational health and safety, and work-life balance for workers and their families.
We have been in a hostile political environment for the last year under the Abbott Government, and it won’t get any easier as his term progresses. The recent proposed industrial changes referring to individual flexibility arrangements are just a sneak peak of what is in store from Abbott. It is no secret that employers and their associations are putting the pressure on Abbott to amend workplace laws in the name of “productivity” and “competitiveness”. For example employer associations have constantly
What does this mean for workers?
We can already see the changes in our community as Australian workers and families hit the street in protest of the unfair budget earlier in the year through the Bust the Budget rallies. As Abbott attempts to push more boundaries, and break even further election promises, it is up to us to mobilise and fight for our conditions and our values. Have you taken action yet? ‘Like’ our Facebook page to keep up to date with our latest actions: www.facebook.com/asu.vic
Women’s fuction at the MCG
National Conference, Leader Organiser Airlines, Matt Norey
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At Conference with Vicky Rogers, ASU VIC PS Branch President
Branch President Vicky Rogers
Is this your first Conference? No it’s my fourth. It’s been really great this year with the theme of how unions impact the society… Really eye-opening! What’s the highlight from coming to Conference? It’s about connecting with our interstate comrades. Sometimes, when we’re out there organising or in the daily grind of struggles with employers, we forget that we’re part of a broader movement. When we connect with other delegates, we understand what it’s all about. We can see that the problems we have here are the same around the country; people get exploited everywhere, sometimes we’re all that stands between unscrupulous employers and legislation, and our hard-working members. What has been your favourite session so far? The panel on ‘Does Australia still have a fair go society?’ was really great. There was a panel with people from the extreme right and left of politics, and it was so eye-opening to understand the differing views on workplace issues. John Osborn from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) – whilst I didn’t agree with a word he said, it gives you a new perspective that will only help our cause, because you know where they’re coming from. What’s your biggest takeaway from Conference? I’m really interested in what we’ve heard so far on Superannuation and how it affects workers. We’ve also just heard how women are significantly disadvantaged when it comes to super savings because of the sacrifices they often make due to their parental responsibilities. The ASU is a union of predominantly women, so we have a role in advocating to close the gender gap and provide safeguards that ensure women get a fair go at work and for their retirement provisions.
The Victorian Trades Hall Council along with union members from a variety of sectors across Victoria have just wrapped up their State Election We Are Union campaign; and through it, they made a significant difference in key marginal seats and ultimately the election outcome for Victorian workers. In the lead up to State Election last month, they knew that employment was the number one concern for the majority of Victorians. How did they know? Because their campaign had as its main focus the objective to just get out there and talk to the community… Not just guess from the sidelines. Since February this year, the campaign organisers were busy rallying up union members to take part in their local marginal seats on-ground campaign which, through meaningful conversations, made all the difference
labor wins What does the Labor victory mean for union members? The election held on November 29 saw Daniel Andrews become Premier and Labor form a new State Government. The overall swing to Labor saw seats change hands from Liberal to Labor in key areas including the Sandbelt seats of Mordialloc, and Carrum. At the time of going to press a number of seats were still too close to call. This is significant to ASU members who received commitment from Labor to roll
Doorknocking in Bentleigh in October
In the lead up to State Election last month, they knew employment was the number one concern for the majority of Victorians. this election, by engaging the community around the issues that affected them most. With each action, the events got bigger and bigger, with the last marginal event, held in Bentleigh on 26 September, attracting over
out call centre policies surrounding Government contracts that would see a commitment to employing locally and implementing important industrial relations commitments. The ASU Avalon Airport campaign has also been able to secure commitment from local Labor candidates to work to secure Avalon Airport beyond 2015. The four years of Liberal Government saw Victorians face growing unemployment, offshoring, the collapse of the automotive industry, cuts to education and a lack of vision for families doing it tough. As part of the We Are Union campaign, Victorian unions campaigned shoulder to shoulder to claim victory for
300 volunteers. These were 300, enthusiastic and motivated workers ready to meet real Victorians, and to fight for the security of their futures. All in all, the campaign managed to knock on 93,625 doors! It ran over 160 phone banking sessions and recruited 2,182 union volunteers. This election was won on a very basic principal: when union members get together and do what they do best; organise, there is no stopping us! This has been a successful campaign, and it’s not finished, you can get involved to help keep union issues in the spotlight. To do this, visit: www.weareunion.org.au
Victorian workers. Teachers, nurses, firefighters, paramedics and ASU members banded together to engage communities in marginal seats to spread the message that a Liberal State Government would not stand up for working people. The ASU will work hard to ensure the important election commitments are honoured by the Andrews Government. 5
UNITE December 2014
The future of Avalon Airport is uncertain for current Jetstar employees, with State Government support set to expire in April 2015. Avalon Airport is Melbourne’s second commercial airport, and is currently only serviced by Jetstar. Over the past couple of years services and terminal facilities have been deteriorating, leaving less than a dozen Jetstar front of house ground staff to handle the needs of the travelling public who come mostly from the greater Geelong area. Without an ongoing State Government commitment of support for Jetstar’s continued operations out of Avalon, ASU members at Avalon took action to find out what plans lay ahead. We launched an online campaign calling on all Jetstar ASU members to take action, seeking commitment from Premier Napthine, Labor Leader Daniel Andrews and Greens Leader Greg Barber to reveal their parties’ plans for Avalon.
UNITE December 2014
Just under 200 people took action online, helping Secretary Ingrid Stitt call an urgent meeting of candidates from the local area to attend a forum on Avalon’s future. Only Labor candidates responded to the request, and on November 13 they met with Avalon Jetstar workers at Geelong Trades Hall. ASU workplace delegate for Avalon, Amanda Dando spoke of the issues staff are currently facing on the ground, which include shortage of amenities, lack of job certainty and little communication about their future. Amanda argued the case for Avalon: “Our airport is a gateway to tourism in our area. Geelong no longer has a manufacturing base, so we rely on tourists coming to our beaches and
Qantas Offshoring Saga Continues Qantas, Qantas, Qantas… We are as tired as you are from seeing their name on the news, especially when it relates to undercutting or sacking their workers. Enough is enough.
give opportunity to Australian workers in Tasmania.
Just to recap:
In September, we find out that instead of employing Australians, Qantas have started creating new jobs in their Auckland call centres.
Earlier this year, Qantas announced 5,000 employees would be made redundant across their operations. In May, they declared another 520 jobs would be lost within their Melbourne and Brisbane call centres. However they assured us no jobs would be sent offshore. Instead, Melbourne and Brisbane call centres would close, to 6
In August, they announced a gobsmacking $2.8 billion loss.
In a letter to the union, Qantas claimed fewer employees than expected had chosen to relocate to Tasmania from its call centres in Brisbane and Melbourne. They claimed that this justified employing more positions in their Offshore call centre.
Breast Cancer Fundraising Barbecue wineries. Avalon provides a direct destination for interstate holidays.”
October was Breast Cancer Awareness month and at the ASU, we take that seriously.
Labor Candidate for South Barwon and Geelong City Councillor, Andy Richards, explained the complexity of Avalon as interplay between state and federal decision-making around allowing international airlines access, as well as funding for the ongoing agreement.
We have many members and their families who have been impacted by this horrible disease, and we like to show them that what is important to them is important to us too. So we planned a barbecue out the front of a major call centre employer in the city.
Member for Lara, John Eren, said that if Labor wins government they will lobby the case for Avalon stronger than the current Liberal Government, and this is something the ASU will continue to pressure for.
1 out of 9 women get breast cancer in Australia, so it’s an issue we should all get around and support.
The ALP candidate for Geelong Christine Cousins has committed to work hard on securing the future of Avalon if elected.
Does this mean there are no Tasmanians looking for work? With unemployment in Tasmania being one of the highest in the country, it’s hard to believe this. Especially when we know over 450 Tasmanians have already applied to work at the Hobart call centre. This latest blow to Australian workers takes the Qantas groups’ off-shore call centre staff to over 1250. Even amidst a jobs crisis, Qantas has not prioritised the needs of Australian workers. The ASU and our Qantas members are not asking for much. We simply ask for a commitment for investment in local jobs for the future of Victorians and their families.
When we approached the employer to let them know we would be fundraising in front of their building, and that it would be helpful if they could put some signs up in the workplace, they told us we were not allowed to do it.
Fundraising BBQ at Call Active site
Undeterred we went ahead with our plans. After all, the fundraiser would not be in their building, so they couldn’t stop us from standing up for such an important cause. The afternoon before the barbecue, we got a call from Melbourne City Council saying we wouldn’t be able to hold our fundraiser unless we had a street stall permit, a parking permit and a health permit. After we explained to Melbourne City
Member Spotlight: meet Frank Meet Frank Mosca, ASU member and former customer service worker. He worked for Qantas for 35 years and has been an ASU member for just as long. He recently took a redundancy package; ending his career in customer service. Frank saw the industry change, believing that “new technologies” have changed the way people work, thus leading to major changes at Qantas. “I’ve been around for so long. I am 66 years old and I am a loyal worker. “I gave so much to the industry that I want to enjoy my life now.”
Frank Mosca
Twenty-eight other Qantas employees were made redundant at the same time that Frank was and he organised a farewell dinner for them all. “It started out as a small get together. Then everyone wanted to come. First 100, then 300, in the end we had 600 people coming in just 3 weeks!” Frank said the event was an absolute success raising $14,000 for the Olivia Newton-John Foundation and the Alfred Hospital trauma centre.
Council that we were raising money for Breast Cancer research, they were extremely helpful and expedited all the permits, so with three business hours to go, we got everything we needed, and the fundraiser went ahead. For one site, we raised $524.15. Every dollar will go towards breast cancer research! Thanks to all the call centre staff, who despite the employers attitude, supported this fundraising event.
“The generosity of all the people who came to the evening, which was half of Melbourne airport, is extraordinary. “We have booked the place for next year and have 200 people already coming, we want to keep this going. “If you give a little bit back sometimes that’s an important part of life. If you can give back to the community it makes you feel like you have actually done something.” Frank is happily retired now, “I feel like I’m on a holiday, I didn’t plan it but I am on one. I no longer need to get up at 3 in the morning, it feels a little bit different now but I will get used to it.” Because Frank is retiring, he doesn’t want to forget all the friends he made. Frank has managed to get a special discount of 10% on all products at Oliana Foods in 248 Mahoneys Road Thomastown, for ASU members. 7
UNITE December 2014
“If you give a little bit back sometimes that’s an important part of life. If you can give back to the community it makes you feel like you have actually done something.”
The Call Centre Pledge Commitment to OHS The ASU has been campaigning widely within call centres in Victoria. We have recently rolled out our Call Centre Pledge; an initiative that ensures employees, team leaders and employers sign up to Occupational Health and Safety standards for consistent commitment to these practices, throughout every call centre.
When surveyed, health and safety has consistently come up as one of the most important issues for call centre workers. The ASU has always worked hard to represent call centres workers and we understand it is a cut-throat sector that needs a strategic approach to enable us to lift the wages, conditions and living standards of workers in the industry. When surveyed health and safety has consistently come up as one of the most important issues for call centre workers. The OHS Pledge brings to the attention of everyone that if they look around, there are hazards present in every workplace, and that many employers, especially in call centres, have no guidelines in place to ensure the safety of its staff. Some of these hazards include things such as key performance indicators and targets. In a survey conducted by the ASU, members indicated that unrealistic KPI’s and targets are major enablers for pressures in their workplace. Many employers and managers use KPI’s as a method to excessively monitor staff, and that can have an enormous impact on the mental health wellbeing of workers.
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As a result, the Union is working across the sector to develop a preventative approach to ensure call centres have genuine guidelines to ensure KPI’s are achievable and reasonable. Next steps? Though the campaign has received a positive response from workers and employers alike, we are not there yet. We still have employers who do not cooperate with delegates, organisers and the Union. We’ve been proactive on call centres, and have already got a commitment from the incoming Labor Government to ensure only companies that employ locally and meet certain employment and industrial relations standards will be able to obtain Government contracts. The ASU will continue to place the health and safety of workers at the heart of our campaigns across the call centre sector.
UNITE December 2014
Ask Terry
live & online
Terry O’Loughlin is an ASU Industrial Officer with many years experience in dealing with industrial and Workcover issues for individual members. In this edition of Unite Terry explains workplace stress.
Have you noticed some changes around ASU? 2014 has seen the ASU venture into more digital spaces than ever before.
QUESTION: What is workplace Stress?
TERRY: This is a growing issue facing many workers. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines stress as “the reaction people may have when presented with demands and pressures that are not matched to their knowledge and abilities and which challenge their ability to cope.” The WHO states that “stress occurs in a wide range of work circumstances but is often made worse when employees feel they have little support from supervisors and colleagues and where they have little control over work or how they can cope with its demands and pressures An estimated one in five workers took time off work in the last year due to feeling mentally unwell. Statistics from the Victorian Workcover Authority show that for the first time psychological or stress related injuries have overtaken physical injury claims. The mental health group ‘Beyond Blue’ attributes this drastic rise in stress claims to reduced stigma, heavier workloads and increasing insecurity in the job market. Preventing Workplace Stress & Early intervention Your employer is required under OHS law to provide and maintain a healthy and safe working environment, and systems of work to eliminate or control risks to the psychological health of employees and contractors.
Terry O’Loughlin
Your employer must: • Provide such information, instruction, training and supervision as to enable you to work in a way that is safe and without risk to health; • Monitor the health of employees and the conditions in the workplace • Consult you and your OHS reps on a range of OHS matters, including: hazard identification, risk assessment, when making decisions on how to control risks, when proposing workplace changes that may affect your health and safety. When these OHS systems are not in place then the risks of an injury related to workplace stress increases. A worker who has a stress related injury or illness can make a workers compensation claim, however, any ASU member considering making a work related stress claim should talk to the ASU to receive advice about the Workcover system and how stress related claims are dealt with. Workers suffering a stress injury or illness are often unprepared for the complex and at times adversarial processes which accompany their attempt to return to work. The ASU has developed, with the support of the Worksafe Victoria Return to Work Fund, a best practice guide for return to work for a stress injury.
In June this year we proudly launched our brand new website which have given us the capability to integrate our online platforms (facebook, twitter and email) as well as create original digital actions that engage our most important audience – our members! This year we’ve launched two new facebook pages trialling new ways to talk to you. Our Virgin ASU Members page is a wild success – a place where Virgin employees can share information and get updates from the organisers Imogen and Matt. It’s a great new way to have a conversation about penalty rates, your annual leave entitlements and even lipstick colours! Our other new initiate is breaking new ground, Your Rights on the Line is talking to call centre workers about their rights at the workplace. We know that the contact call centre sector is notorious for insecure work, and often young workers’ can be exploited because of their lack of knowledge of their rights at work. We launched this campaign to educate workers on their hours of work, sick leave entitlements, leave allowances and what to do when or if they feel bullied at work. Check out the pages and send us some feedback to info@asupsvic.org While you’re there – don’t forget to like the Union’s pages too! www.facebook.com/ YourRightsOnTheLine
Always seek advice from the ASU about the specifics of your claim.
www.facebook.com/ASUVirgin
Terry O’Loughlin
www.facebook.com/asu.vic