Workers Caucus

Rank and file delegates at the April national conference

Casuals. This is the big issue still to be resolved between the company and the union as EBA talks get into full swing.
"We want the issue of casuals resolved," said National Secretary Paddy Crumlin. "We can not make any compromises. Otherwise this company is heading for a serious industrial dispute."

Also at issue is a spate of sackings.

Instances of employees getting 'first and finals' prompted a strong reaction from the union, with the National Secretary calling for a full list of warnings and dismissals.

Delegates at the P&O National Conference held at National Office in Worker's caucusApril voted permanency the number one issue.

Of the company's 1524 strong workforce, only 42 per cent (636) are permanent full time workers, with 35 per cent casuals and 259 or 17 per cent guaranteed wage earners. Another 87 workers, mainly in Brisbane and Melbourne are employed as Permanent Part Time employees. That's a mere 6 per cent.

"The union is going to make a stand," said Crumlin. "If P&O want to show real leadership in the future of the industry they'll meet our challenge and deliver proper and decent jobs."

The union claim envisaged maximum permanent employment, by automatically replacing outgoing permanent workers with new permanents. The vacancies would first be advertised internally, allowing part time and existing casuals promotion to the full time permanent positions.

In the most recent negotiations the union and company moved closer to understanding in regards to moving the maximum numbers of supplementary workers in major ports to GWEs based on assessment of earnings over the previous 12 months.

Discussions have also concentrated on moving permanent part time workers to a new level of security of earnings and employment, including redundancy and superannuation entitlements.

The union has insisted that current levels of permanent workers must be guaranteed and if the company wins new contracts then reviews should offer the opportunity to increase levels of full time permanents. Workers reps from the sites should participate in the process of review.

The union anticipates little need for more casuals in the future. The union claim envisages existing casuals would be promoted to the guaranteed wage positions over time and onto full time permanent positions after that.

Six monthly, or as required, labour reviews then give both company and union a chance to look at labour and equity of earnings levels to maximise job security.

Other priority issues on the union list include no compulsory redundancy, a shared bonus, a delegate's charter, guaranteed workers' entitlements, a career path, women recruits, paternity leave, workers' reps on job selection panels and a safety delegate on every shift.

Also in the union log of claims is early retirement, a national framework for rosters based on better cycles, ensuring workers are not subjected to excessive irregular shifts, an aggregate wage that frees workers from having to rely on overtime, delegates and safety officers on every shift, providing carers' leave, maternity and paternity leave and financial support for child care to compensate for short notice call ins.

But after the first round of talks the company had only agreed to the six monthly review, advertising of vacant positions internally, increasing women recruits on the wharves, the reintroduction of traineeships, apprentices, maintaining two breaks for crane and straddle operators, super seminars and salary sacrifice.

Other minor issues agreed were the review of pay slip information and a time limit on company late payment of wages, indexation of mooring payments, new member seminars, monthly site committee meetings and a protocol for anyone who may have full time work other than stevedoring.

Supplementary life insurance, redundancy, the shared bonus, closed port days and relocation allowance were also under consideration.

On the issue of casualisation the only thing agreed to date is parity of income amongst all employees.

The P&O log of claims, however, has provoked some concerns, including a push for fewer union meetings, removal of the Commission in the dispute resolution clause, reduction in trade union training, later notification times and the outsourcing of cargo care.

Wage increases would, according to the company claim, be tied to productivity gains, with a maximum rise of 12 per cent over the life of the EBA.

The EBA process got under way in May after a round of P&O presentations in each port to give the committees a chance to prepare.

"We wanted to ensure presentations to members were made in all regions before we started negotiating," said Deputy National Secretary Jim Tannock.

The negotiating team, headed by National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, is made up of Deputy National Secretary Jim Tannock, Assistant National Secretary Rick Newlyn, CNSW Branch Secretary Robert Coombs, Victorian Branch Secretary Mick Cottrell, WA Branch Secretary Terry Buck, Southern Queensland Deputy Branch Secretary Trevor Munday and NNSW Branch Secretary Jim Boyle.

Rank and file delegates are Warren Smith, Jim Daley, Paul McAleer, Paul Moneley, Wayne Mabbott and Alpay Celebi (NSW); Barry Cronin (SA); David Schleibs, David Smith, Steve Murray (Victoria); Andy Burford NT; Kerry Bedelph (Tasmania); Joseph Carr, Stephen Cumberlidge and Michael McLennan (Qld); Adrian Evans, Bill Walker and Vincent Clegg (WA).

All resolutions and report-backs have been circulated to branches and ports by email.

Meanwhile, the company has written to the union indicating that two major contracts with ANL and Strangs will be cancelled in Sydney unless productivity improves.