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Issue No. 140 | 14 June 2002 |
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Abbott's Rule of Law
Interview: Party Girl Unions: Touch One, Touch All Industrial: Condition Critical International: Innocence Lost History: Strange Bedfellows Organising: Just Say No Review: Choosing Life Beneath The Clouds Poetry: Did We Make a Big Mistake
The Soapbox The Dressing Room The Locker Room Week in Review Bosswatch
 Luke and LearnDue CreditTom's FooleryMore LathamMore Tom
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News Airport Security Flies High
Early in the week airport security workers around Australia were cheering an AIRC decision, which improved the pay of Melbourne airport screeners who had been campaigning for more than two years. The AIRC pay decision represents, in total, an 8% increase for a group of workers who until now were among the lowest-paid workers at the airport. Most airport screeners currently get paid around $12 an hour. Jeff Lawrence, LHMU National Secretary, immediately called a national airport security delegates video-conference to discuss the Victorian decision and warned: " we will expect all security employers, at all airports, to quickly fall into line and improve the pay packets of our members." Postcard Campaign The union's airport security members around the nation are currently handing out postcards to passengers, reminding them that in the nine months since the September 11 tragedy - the Federal Government has done little or nothing to improve airport screening. The campaign has upset and irritated the Federal Government with senior ministers coming out and attacking the LHMU repeatedly for handing out the postcards asking people to mail them to the Deputy PM and Minister for Transport, John Anderson. At Thursday's airport delegates' videoconference Brisbane members reported that more than 100 airport screeners and security workers, employed by Group 4, had won a 29% pay increase over the three-year life of a new enterprise agreement. The Brisbane agreement had been held up because of the argy-bargy going on in the Victorian work value case - but union delegates moved quickly after the AIRC decision to tie up all loose ends to get a deal for Queensland members. " The LHMU Airport Security Union members in Brisbane won the agreement - to follow up on their Victorian sisters and brothers earlier in the week - because of the strong discipline and co-operation we have developed in our national airport security campaign," Jeff Lawrence said. " The Brisbane airport workers, like those in Victoria, have developed a strong delegate structure which has been prepared to voice the anger of members - and they have been able to quickly capitalise on the Melbourne victory. Brisbane Gets More Holidays
" Once Victorian members employed by Chubb won their important work value case we were able to sign off with Group 4 an agreement which takes into account the Victorian win, as well as providing a shorter 38 hour working week, and an extra week's holiday leave. " We have also opened up a new round of bargaining with Group 4, who employ airport security workers in Darwin and Canberra, and expect fairly quickly to win similar increases for LHMU union members at these airports. " The LHMU is quickly developing a check list of airports where we are seeking to win new agreements with security employers. " Our members around Australia want to see similar wins to the important breakthrough won first by a well organised group of union members at Melbourne airport - and now won at Brisbane airport. " The national airport security campaign shows that when union members get together, and support each other, they will eventually win a just increase - but we cannot deliver a win without members standing up and making sure that their voices are heard."
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