What's in it for the casuals?
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Terry Menzies
Photo by Alin Muresan
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This was the question raised before the vote on the TT Line EBA in the Melbourne union rooms last April after 16 long months of negotiations.
Votes were also taken on board Spirit one, two and three.
The agreement got up with a vote of 98 per cent on the day. But Terry Menzies, a young 22 year old casual with TT-Line raised the question on behalf of other casual employees.
"I want to hear it from the horses mouth rather than someone else," he said.
The new EBA creates many permanent jobs while improving conditions of the casual workforce.
The main things for casuals that come out of this EBA are:
• promotions to the next grade as well as around 50 promotions to permanent jobs in the past two months
• a 13.65 per cent pay rise over the next three years
• access to super under the Seafarers' Retirement Fund
• employer super contributions up from 11.5 per cent to 13 per cent
• pay equity and a fair share of work guaranteed by quarterly reviews
• no further casuals engaged so as to increase the earnings of existing workers
Most casual employees are exercising their rights and becoming MUA members. Casual employees are getting better representation in the company by being in the union and having a nominated representative from their ranks. The union recognises that the reality is that casual workers have it tough. That's why it is fighting the Howard Government policies which promote casualisation over permanency - policies responsible for making 60 per cent of Australian workers casual. It's also a trade where work is only available for the full complement in the peak seasons, much like the hospitality industry. But MUA policies and work by the officials and delegates are reversing the trend.
See also High Spirits
See also Loving It
See also Responsible Job
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