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Issue No. 151 06 September 2002  
E D I T O R I A L

Looking for the Light
As Labor searches for its Light on the Hill at last a senior Labor figure has come out and said it: the main game for the ALP should not be about shedding union involvement but making the movement � and that involvement - stronger.

F E A T U R E S

Interview: Packing a Punch
Former Hawke and Keating Minister Gary Punch injects some sanity into the debate over unions and the ALP

Bad Boss: Basher Takes Back Passage
A new contender for our Bad Boss has emerged as 140 Stegbar workers confront a boofhead with bad attitude, writes Jim Marr

Unions: Five Star Shafting
What is twenty three years of unbroken, fulltime service worth? Eight weeks, according to Tony Abbott, the Federal Government and the cheapskates who run Sydney�s posh Hilton Hotel.

Economics: TINA � Rest In Peace
Sydney University�s Frank Stilwell argues that the �There is No Alternative� school of economics should be consigned to the dustbin of history

International: Against Bush's "War on Terrorism"
Washington has become the first State Labor Council in the U.S. to call on the AFL-CIO to seek repeal of the USA Patriot Act and oppose the Bush Administration, reports Fred Hyde.

Environment: Saving the World
After a ten-day talkfest, are we any closer to saving the world, asks Nick Lucchinelli

History: A Radical Scribe
John Shields loks at the life of Lloyd Ross' brother, Edgar, and his work as a journalist and activist in Broken Hill

Poetry: With A Little Help From My Friend
Even oil giant BP Australasia came out and supported the Kyoto Protocol - but that was not enough for our beloved Prime Minister.

Satire: Colonel Gaddafi Promotes Himself to General
After years of ribbing by his Axis of Evil peers, General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, Ayatollah Khamenei of Iran and General Than Shwe of Burma, Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi has finally promoted himself to General.

Review: Workplace Dictatorship
Award-winning journalist Barbara Ehrenreich went undercover in low-wage America to see how people live on six bucks an hour. And what did she find? They can�t.

N E W S

 Cole Comfort: I�m Not Biased

 Grassroots Drives Safety Campaign

 Deloittes Curry Favour on Sub-Continent

 Ansett Workers Short-Changed

 Rail Workers Buck Individual Contract Wage Bribe

 Carr to Drive Hilton Deal?

 Bush Regenerators Weed Out Dodgy Deal

 Insurers in Redfern Rort

 Hairdresser Wins Fight For Wage Justice

 Cabin Crews Argue for �Safety in Numbers�

 �Slave Labour� In Insurance Industry

 Westie Fires Up Over Durries

 Beattie Plods into Risky Territory

 Sydney to Host Social Forum

 Activists Notebook

C O L U M N S

The Soapbox
Ian West on Suncorp Metway
NSW MLC Ian West lifts the lid on moves to impose 'start before you start' clauses in the insurance industry

The Locker Room
Terrible Terry and the Nice Guy from Fitzroy
As the debate over the new coach hots up, Phil Doyle believes that all is not as it seems on the good ship Swan.

Week in Review
War on Terror
Next Wednesday, September 11, marks the anniversary of one of the most brutal acts of terrorism in modern history. Jim Marr�s picking it will pass by virtually un-noticed

Bosswatch
Broken Trust
The corporate world is holding back the waves of accountability with a crackdown on trusts rubbished and resistance to a new plan to increase corporate disclosure.

Women
All In the Family?
Labor Council�s Alison Peters went looking for a family friendly workplace and got caught in a cheesy smokescreen.

L E T T E R S
 Collex Decision is Terrible
 Charity Begins At Home
WHAT YOU CAN DO
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The Soapbox

Ian West on Suncorp Metway

Extract from the NSW Legislative Council Hansard of 03/09/2002

NSW MLC Ian West lifts the lid on moves to impose 'start before you start' clauses in the insurance industry

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I draw the attention of honourable members to the case of an employer union telling staff what to do. At a time when freedom of association is being trumpeted, this is an alarming case of a large company acting against the interests of its employees by trying to reduce their entitlements and shift them into the company's own employee council.

Last week Suncorp Metway, which describes itself as the sixth largest bank and the second largest insurance company in Australia, announced a $311 million profit. Suncorp's Chairman, John Lamble, credited this result to the performance of the GIO business, which Suncorp bought last year. Mr Lamble believes GIO will continue to be profitable for Suncorp in the future. This profit is no surprise when Suncorp's human resources tactics are revealed.

Mr Lamble wants to cut the conditions of some 2,400 GIO employees and to use the employer union, the Suncorp Metway Employee Council, to do it. GIO employees are being offered a bribe to transfer to Suncorp before June 2003. What is the generous offer? A $250 share option.

The Industrial Relations Commission previously found Suncorp's staff association, or employee council, to be management driven and fully funded by the company for the sole purpose of avoiding employee unions and the wrath of the commission. Suncorp's unique employee council is now incorporated and is seeking to extend its influence to GIO workers.

It pays the salaries and expenses of the industrial staff who travel around the country spreading the message of Suncorp and how wonderful the company is to its employees. It proudly claims to represent employee interests while offering them inferior working conditions.

The only thing the employer union seems to do is promote the company's interests at the expense of its employees. For example, the enterprise agreement contains a "start before you start" clause: Employees must turn up for work anywhere between 15 minutes to half an hour early and not be paid for it. The agreement covers more than 2,000 employees, some 1,500 of whom work full time. If each of these employees were to work without pay for only 30 minutes every day, it would amount to two and a half hours unpaid work every week per employee. At a base rate of $15 an hour, the company would save $37.50 per week or more than $1,800 per employee per year.

No wonder Mr Lamble is optimistic about spending $250 for a share offer and saving $1,550 in unpaid wages. That constitutes a very profitable bargain indeed. Employees can also be required to work any day of the week, seven days a week. The New South Wales Minister for Industrial Relations, the Hon. John Della Bosca, intends to legislate to allow Saturday trading for banks in New South Wales, but only if employees are protected against exploitation. I say tongue in cheek that Mr Lamble or Mr Della Bosca need not worry about Suncorp because it is generous enough to offer them single time for weekend work! It is ironic that yet again the employer union is representing the interests of employees.

I am told that in Queensland the employees sought representation from the Finance Sector Union but that the union rarely receives a return call from Suncorp. Suncorp will not deal with the union and the company's own union has already said that the agreement is appropriate to cover GIO staff. However, GIO workers have a different view. In July a majority of GIO workers voted to keep their current GIO agreement and conditions. Suncorp Metway recently competed with the Bank of Queensland for prime sponsorship of the Queensland Reds rugby union team. Suncorp seriously considered topping the successful bid of $3.5 million by the Bank of Queensland. It could find millions for a logo on a football jersey but can only provide GIO workers with unpaid work under the "start before you start" clause.

Instead of chasing rugby jumpers, Suncorp Metway should be more concerned about what the community thinks of its employee council attempting to cut staff conditions after a record company profit. I call on Mr Lamble to give GIO workers a fair go. They are entitled to proper union representation when negotiating their conditions and they should not be told what to do by their own employer. After all, a majority of them voted that way and, therefore, they are entitled to join the union of their choice and to have that union recognised by their employer.


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