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Issue No. 309 | 02 June 2006 |
When the Truth Hurts
Interview: Rock Solid Industrial: Eight Simple Rules for Employing My Teenage Daughter Politics: The Johnnie Code Energy: Fission Fantasies History: All The Way With Clarrie O'Shea International: Closer to Home Economics: Taking the Fizz Unions: Stronger Together Review: Montezuma's Revenge Poetry: Fair Go Gone
You're Killing Us - BHP Charged Again Revealed: Beaconsfield Led AWA Charge Independent Schools Push Class Warfare Sutton Wants Middle Men Probed ATO Recruiting for WorkChoices
The Soapbox The Locker Room Parliament Education
Labor Council of NSW |
News Cowra - Work Slaughter Legal
Those talks have already stalled as the company, with Waterfront War mastermind Paul Houlihan in charge, attempts a radical overhaul of the tally system which will see workers paid an extra $1 per hour for killing hundreds of extra animals a day.
Meatworkers Union state secretary Charlie Donzow told Workers Online the workers had rejected the agreement - which retains a base rate of pay but requires an extra 40 per cent productivity. "What the company is proposing is the unification of the two streams of slaughtering - pigs and cattle." Donzow says. "As they put it, one pig is equal to a unit and cattle, because of their size, are two units.
"So, while in the past the slaughtermen processed 140 cattle in a shift, the company now wants them to process 315 in the same time. For the pigs the increase is from 280 to 630. If they agree, their base rate of pay increases from $764 to $765 per week." Donzow has revealed that both parties now have a copy of the Office of Workplace Services report into the April sackings - meaning the company has the power to sack workers who refuse to accept the new deal. Melbourne's 'Age' newspaper this week reported the OWS had ruled the sackings for 'operational reasons' in order to reduce wages complied with WorkChoices. The OWS began its investigation after 29 workers at the NSW abattoir were dismissed in March and told they could be rehired on different conditions that included a pay cut. The termination notices were withdrawn after the OWS stepped in.
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