
Issue No 47		24 March 2000

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Insurance Deal Guarantees Entitlements

As National Textile Workers finally receive their entitlements, unions in a Sydney workshop have secured accrued benefits through an innovative insurance scheme.

Workers at TRW Steering and Suspension made the insurance bond an industrial issue when the company was sold to a new owner - complete with nearly $17 million in accrued entitlements.

After a heated dispute with the new management of the company Tri Star Steering and Suspension (TSSA) the unions on the site including the AWU, NUW and ETU, negotiated the acquisition of an irrevocable insurance bond.

The bond will insure approximately $ 17 million worth of accumulated employee entitlements for the life of the current enterprise agreement. This will satisfy any shortfall in TSSA's ability to meet, upon insolvency and redundancy any accumulated employee entitlements.

AWU organiser for TSSA, Ray Sparkes, says the insurance bond provides deserved protection for employees who put a lot into the company.

"We have shown that employee entitlements cannot be abused by irresponsible management. This is the workers money and should be protected as superannuation is."

"The bond covers about 400 employees including staff. We have had some staff members join the union because of this bond."

AWU delegates Dene Fletcher and Peter Boader were part of the AWU negotiating team and reckon employee morale and productivity have improved thanks to the guaranteed safety of their entitlements.

"If this company went belly up a lot of workers could lose a lot of money. There is always talk of retrenchments. But we have managed to guarantee we get what we worked for, and the AWU is stronger for that" Dene said.

AWU State Secretary Russ Collison congratulated the AWU members at TSSA for the teamwork in negotiating the insurance bond and described the deal as a " landmark for industrial relations in Australia.

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Issue 47 contents

Interview: Telstra Troubleshooter
Andrew Hillard first blew the whistle on Mal Colston�s expenses rorts; now he�s taking on Telstra over its tactics to drive down wages and conditions.

Unions: A Christmas (Recruitment) Story
Staff at the Illawarra Mutual Building Society organised their own Christmas present - and, with the help of a little e-mail, delivered 80 new members to the ASU's Clerical and Administrative Branch.

International: A Move to the Left?
John Passant look�s at �Red Ken� Livingstone�s tilt at Mayor of London and what it means for the Radical Left.

Legal: Going Broke: What Workers Should Do
A no nonsense guide to protecting your entitlements when the boss goes bust.

Politics: "I Can't Believe It's Not Peter Reith":
The NSW Labor Government is waging a dirty campaign against the NSW Teachers Federation in order to gain the upper hand in the long running award dispute.

History: One Big Nation
In the 1920�s rural Australia was arguing for its share of the national wealth through The Bush Workers Propaganda Group.

Satire: Toddler Death Fallout: BMW Releases New Oven
The Victorian Government has turned up the heat on the gambling and car industries following a spate of children being locked inside cars.

Review: The Stranger from Hobart
In his controversial new book, Peter Botsman lifts the lid on the unsung hero of federation, Andrew Inglis Clark

» Insurance Deal Guarantees Entitlements

» Casual Work Inquiry Moves Closer

» Questions Over National Push for 36 Hours Week

» WA Govt Pulls Plug on Unionists

» A Fair Day�s Surf

» Hotel Workers Jam AIRC

» PM's Security Guards Walk off the Job

» SOCOG Dances: Budget Not There

» Women Win Right To Wear Trousers

» Another Rustbucket On Our Coast

» Catholic School Teachers Endorse Strike Action

» We Can't Share the Spirit If We Can�t Afford the Rent

» Unionist Honoured Posthumously

» Radio Free East Timor

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» Carr's Parisian Lunchmate

» Send Us a Letter

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