
Issue No 112		21 September 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Patricks Workers in Job Security Win

By Zoe Reynolds

Permanent and guaranteed jobs will make up to 90 per cent of the Patricks workforce under a new enterprise agreement.

Under the deal, endorsed last month: redundancies are down from 150 to under 50; redundancy payouts up from 26 weeks of base rate to 70 weeks of salary; no compulsory redundancy; more family friendly, regular rosters; 12 per cent pay rise over three years;

In other advances:

- minimum shifts up from two to four hours for supps on lashing;

- an extra worker per gang to relieve straddle operators, interport hire; integration of terminal with bulk & general workforce;

- no job loss for supps & equitable allocation of work; a 15-day-a-year limit on flexi-days, redundancy package & entitlements for APS maintenance employees;

- job offers for CSX employees; paternity & carers leave for permanent casuals; paid training leave; recognition of the delegate & site committee; 6 monthly consultation & reviews; better compo;

- free entry for union officials during lunch breaks & company recognition that job security, equal employment opportunity, safety, career paths,

- communication & employee involvement on the job go hand in hand with productivity & company profits.

These are the major achievements of the new Patrick enterprise agreement

endorsed by the majority of members in August

"I think we've achieved a decent outcome," said Graham Snedden, Fremantle wharfie and national negotiating team member. �Decent salaries, decent working conditions, decent rostering."

But it was not easy negotiating things for the better. And even harder getting the message across to members. A downturn in trade and loss of business in bulk and general operations made it tough.

Management came to the table pushing for wage cuts, compulsory redundancies, greater casualisation of the workforce, a four hour minimum for all labour, individual contracts, management prerogative, the outsourcing of bus driving and first aid on top of a totally irregular roster.

Meetings dragged on over six weeks from morning till night. Fifty union officials and job delegates led by MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, his deputy Mick O�Leary, Assistant National Secretary Jim Tannock and branch officials sat across the table from Patrick CEO Chris Corrigan and a half dozen of his management.

Talks broke down. Management walked out. Negotiations resumed. Agreement was reached, reviewed and redrafted. A mail out to all members, mass meetings, debate and discussion followed. Then came the stop work meetings with a majority vote of members and branches required for implementation of the EBA.

But there was a proviso. At issue were two major concerns flexi-days and loss of casual jobs. With half the workforce made up of supps and not all being promoted to guaranteed jobs, they turned up en masse to the Fremantle meeting, outnumbering the permanents and narrowly voting the EBA down. A majority of Melbourne members also voted no.

The other factor is history.

"The workforce still don�t trust Patrick," said Paddy Crumlin. "It's understandable and I sympathise with that. They have not forgotten what happened three years ago and for good reason. I haven�t forgotten and I told management that on day one. But we�ve gone back and addressed all the key issues raised at the stop work meetings."

The EBA now includes a limit on owed shifts to 15/year, with no more than 12 in any 16 week roster cycle. And management are guarantying no reduction in the number of supps on their books with the promise equitable allocation of work.

APS maintenance workers will get accrued leave entitlements owed and those being made redundant will get the same entitlements and a six week redundancy payment as well as an ex gratia top up payment to $35,000.

Management have also agreed to offer CSX (Sea-Land) employees in Brisbane jobs where Patrick employees volunteer to take redundancies. Successful applicants will be entitled to portability of entitlements. The extra redundancy payments are to be met by CSX.

Report backs to Sydney members resulted in further endorsement of the agreement.

"Overall the union has wound back casualisation and provided for better conditions on the job," said Crumlin. "Casualisation was taking us back to the bull system. They were picking heads. It was undermining everything we fought for in the last 50 years."

Another of the key achievements in the eba is the abolition of the irregular rosters. Gone are the soul destroying rosters that were not only dangerous to health and safety, but fracturing families and communities.

   Visit the MUA

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 112 contents

Interview: Exit Interview
Michael Costa looks back at his 14 years with the Labor Council to chart the highs, the lows and the bits in between.

Parliament: Opening Salvo
In his Maiden Speech, delivered this week, Costa gave vent to his views on immigration, Marx, globalisation and mental health.

Scandals: My Evil Twin
Co-conspirator and 'intellectual soulmate' Mark Duffy recounts the legendary 'Leaked Paper' Affair and how its predictions soon came to pass.

Politics: An Agent for Change
Former secretary Michael Easson argues that Costa was instrumental in redefining the factional balance in NSW in the wake of the Cold War.

Review: The Thoughts of Chairman MC
Neale Towart trawls the collected works of Michael Costa and looks at his love-hate affair with Marx.

Factions: Kyoto Sunset
Naomi Steer - the first left-winger to work at Labor Council in decades - recalls how she discovered the real Michael in a Karaoke lounge.

History: A Proud Tradition
Former Premier Barrie Unsworth argues Costa enters Parliament as the best qualified Labor Council leader ever to make the transition.

Psychology: The Man Behind the Mask
Costa's predecessor Peter Sams argues that behind the bluff facade lay a loyal and caring friend.

Seduction: Michael and Me
Chris Christodoulou recounts how Costa convinced him to cross the factional divide and take up residence in Sussex Street.

Satire: Ode to Leon
Long-time sparring partner, Peter Botsman submits this lyrical tribute to Costa's career.

» Muslim Schools Targets of Hate Attacks

» Up, Up and Away � Where Does Howard Stand?

» Revealed: Anderson Ignored Ansett Early Warnings

» ACTU: Administrator Had to Go

» Union Official Tragic Victim of Ansett Collapse

» Entitlements Version 7.0 Still Falls Short

» Pasminco Latest Entitlements Scare

» WorkCover: Privatisation Still On the Books

» Fatigue a Life Threat

» Egan Faces Prod Over Maternity Rights

» Patricks Workers in Job Security Win

» Safety Fears Go Through the Roof

» Ragged Trousered Scientists

» Tougher Safety Legacy of Tragedy

» Stellar Drops Unionism Ban

» Paint Workers Hit With Injunctions

» Rort-Friendly Proposals Draw Fire

» More Sackings But 20,000 Faults To Fix

» Howard Erects More Voting Hurdles At Eleventh Hour

» Activists Notebook

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» In Defence of Kiwis

» UK Unions Mourn Knox Loss

» Premature Analysis

» Belly's Turn

» Rally for Peace

» John Wayne is Dead

Notice Board
- Check out the latest events

Latest Issue

View entire latest issue
- print all of the articles!

Previous Issues

Subject index

Search all issues

Workers Online - 2nd place Labourstart website of the year

LaborNET is a resource for the labour movement provided by the Labor Council of NSW

URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/112/news6_patricks.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005

[ Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Credits ]

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW