Vitasoy workers win rights for casual workers
Vitasoy members hold up letter of support from IUF
Members at Vitasoy had a victory on Friday 14 October, after two 24 hour stoppages on Friday 30 September and Wednesday 12 October.
A majority of members have voted in principle for a new offer based on protecting casual workers rights and the ability of all workers to seek assistance from the independent umpire – Fair Work Australia – to resolve disputes.
“Casual workers deserve the same rights and protections as all workers,” said Organiser Neil Smith, “they deserve to be paid at the same rate as the person they work next to, they deserve the right to attend Union meetings with their workmates and they deserve the right to become permanent workers after six months.”
Members at
Vitasoy in Wodonga had grave concerns of casual members being exploited and
used to undercut permanent workers on site, which is why they went on strike.
It is a problem that many have seen happen elsewhere.
Pay was also settled in the new draft of the Agreement. Although this dispute was never at its heart about pay, members and have always maintained they were genuinely ready to bargain.
Workers will receive 12% over three years (4.5%, 3.75%, 3.75%) and a $1090 sign on bonus.
While workers at Vitasoy in Hong Kong do not come under the jurisdiction of FWA, members at Vitasoy Wodonga and the National Union of Workers continue to agitate for Vitasoy to do the right thing by its Hong Kong workforce.
Letter of support from International Union of Food Workers (IUF)
Second letter of support from IUF
Wins for workers
- Protection for all workers through insertion of a clause guaranteeing that all casual workers, whether directly or indirectly employed will enjoy the same wages and conditions as other workers on site
- Ability for Union organisers to enter the site to assist workers in disputes and to distribute information with less than the standard 24 hours notice
- A commitment to collectively bargain with the Union and its members
- 12% wage increases over 3 years (4.5% + 3.75% + 3.75%) plus a $1090 “sign on bonus”
- Maintaining fair and wide access to the industrial tribunal
- Increased union training leave for union delegates
- Improved long service leave
What the company was prevented from doing
- Limiting casual rights: the company wanted indirectly employed casuals to receive site wages only, not other conditions making indirectly employed workers cheaper to employ, and permanent workers less attractive
- Insisting on the standard 24 hours notice in all cases where a union organiser wants to attend the site
- Paying increases of less than 10% over 3 years
- Limiting scope of disputes to the industrial tribunal
