Author: E tū

E tū members at Sanford Bluff are celebrating big pay rises after they voted unanimously to accept the company’s pay offer following wage bargaining last week.

The deal means 98% of Sanford Bluff workers will be earning the Living Wage or above, through a mix of higher wages as well as allowances.

Many workers were earning the minimum wage of $17.70. Including allowances, their pay will increase to the Living Wage of $21.15. Others will earn $22.36 an hour which is above the Living Wage.

The deal is backdated to 15 June. Workers who lost their jobs after restructuring at the plant will also receive backpay at the new rates up to their last day of employment.

“This is a fantastic victory for our members who have campaigned together with the Bluff community for the Living Wage for Bluff workers,” says Anna Huffstutler, E tū organiser and advocate.

“Sanford isn’t yet a Living Wage Employer so it’s not exactly where we want to be, but we have made a vital first step towards the Living Wage for our members and a significant move towards addressing low wages at Bluff,” she says.

Anna says the term is one year.

“That means we can come back next year and have a good shot at the Living Wage as a starting rate for all members.”

Sanford Bluff delegate, Linda Bevin says members are delighted with the pay increases.

However, she says Sanford is not yet an accredited Living Wage Employer, “so there is still work to do.”

ENDS

For more information, contact Anna Huffstutler E tū organiser and advocate ph. 027 209 7436

Anna will be able to provide members to speak for interested media.

E tū, the union at Cloud Ocean, says it met today with site management and its union delegates to discuss the company proposal to lay off 125 of the 160 strong work force.

E tū Industry Coordinator (Manufacturing & Food), Phil Knight says the company has been difficult to work with but it’s disappointing things have come to this.

“This is hard news for the workers, and we will be talking with our members about a response to the proposal, and doubtless seeking compensation for the loss of their jobs and income, as well as commitments around re-employment should the plant resume operations,” says Phil.

He says he’s hopeful most workers will find jobs in the event the plant shuts down.

“They’re good workers and any of the businesses crying out for people with a good work ethic and production skills would benefit from offering them employment.”

Phil says the union has no view on the controversy surrounding the company’s use of water from the local aquifer.

“The thing for us is whether they’ve been a fair and reasonable employer and contributed to the Christchurch economy, and the fact is they haven’t,” says Phil.

“These are permanent workers on pretty much minimum wages and conditions, and the work is precarious – they’ve faced constant changes of shift and shift cancellations at short notice.

“It’s had a high turnover because of the very poor conditions,” he says.

Phil says the company seems to have been disorganised from the start.

“There appears to have been little due diligence to ensure they had a market to supply, to as well as what’s required to run a business in New Zealand. They’ve been applying practices that may be commonplace in China but not acceptable in New Zealand.”

Phil says that includes constant breaches of health and safety, basic employment conditions and Holiday Act provisions.

Phil acknowledged few in Canterbury will be sad to hear the plant is likely to close.

“Besides wages, Cloud Ocean has contributed little to Christchurch, with materials including the plastic bottles, boxes and equipment all imported from overseas.

“But there is an opportunity to at least ensure any worker losing their job through this is treated right, and to look after staff properly if they do get production underway again.”

ENDS

For more information, contact:

Phil Knight E tū Industry Coordinator (Manufacturing & Food) ph. 027 591 0053

E tū has written to Mark Ratcliffe, the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Transport Agency, urging the Agency to improve funding for VTNZ so its workers can be fairly paid.

VTNZ driving test and vehicle testing officials took strike action on Monday for 24 hours in protest over their pay.

The driving test officials earn between $21.00 and $22.50, which members say doesn’t reflect their skills and experience, nor the on the job hazards. Vehicle testing officials also earn below the industry standard.

E tū Lead Organiser, Dayna Townsend says driving test officials have been trying to improve their basic pay scale since 2014 when NZTA awarded the driver testing contract to VTNZ.

Before then, Dayna says the AA had the contract “and the starting rate for driving testers was higher then than the highest paid rate for them now. As well as the higher pay, they had allowances which also boosted their pay.

“Vehicle testers are also at the bottom of the mechanics scale.

“NZTA funding for VTNZ is too low to ensure these workers are fairly paid,” says Dayna.

“This is a huge problem for our members wherever services are contracted out to private companies. Typically, government agencies chose the lowest tender and it is workers who pay the price for that, through low pay.”

Dayna says NZTA has been asked to increase the funding for VTNZ so it can lift pay rates to a more realistic level.

“These are government workers, doing the government’s job of keeping people safe on the roads. They should be fairly paid and that means paying contractors enough to ensure that happens,” she says.

ENDS

For more information, contact:

Dayna Townsend E tū Lead Organiser ph. 027 590 0070

Following our last update (which you can check out on our website), your bargaining team met for another day of talks on 19 July.

The result was an agreement has been reached for a settlement, subject to ratification, for the renewal of the Metals and Manufacturing MECA for 2019.

The parties are still in discussion to finalise the wording of the new clauses required to meet the amendments to the Employment Relations Act and some new clauses as a result of members’ claims.

Members can look forward to full details of the proposed settlement, and notification of ratification meetings in the near future.

In the meantime, thank you all for your participation and support during the process.

Regards

Your bargaining team.