Chris Clark - Report
Chris Clark Report
Another wonderful three months. Once again seeing long-time members, new members and soon to be members.
Baiada Report
It is fantastic to see that the fourteen delegates, Chris Quinn, Fibe and the Union are having such a great affect on the whole plant. Any issues that are brought to Chris’s attention are promptly addressed and fixed. This is having a positive affect on the moral at the plant, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction of all. My monthly visit is extremely enjoyable as each time I go to the plant I am getting to know more smiling, happy members. One great thing in particular to report is that the new amenities and lunch room block, through the new JCC, in co-operation with the company, is going to have a milk dispenser. This means an end to black coffees and black teas. This is wonderful as it is the solution to a long-standing problem brought up at the JCC. Many other issues that have been brought to the attention of the Company through the JCC have also been fixed.
At the last meeting, held on Friday 6th May, the Union asked Chris Quinn what he thought of the JCC meetings and Chris replied that they are wonderful because they are a forum in which he is made aware of problems that would otherwise not come to his attention. If it were not for the JCC meetings, Chris would not have even been aware of many of the issues that he has now, with the delegates and the Union, been a part of fixing. I would like to inform everyone at the plant that JCC meetings are held every two weeks and that I attend every second one. Any members on the floor who wish to bring something up at these meetings simply need to go to their delegate who will bring their issue to the JCC, and ultimately to the attention of Chris Quinn.
THE DELEGATES ARE THERE TO BE YOUR VOICE: THIS IS YOUR RIGHT AS A UNION MEMBER.
Coles & Bi-Lo Report
Once again I would love to report that everything is running smoothly at Coles and Bi-Lo. Unfortunately, this is again not the case and the Company is again refusing to pay for the work that members are performing. The Higher Duties and Second-in-Charge provisions (Sub-clause 4.12) and the Overtime Clause (Clause 19) seem to again be high on the list of entitlements that the Company is refusing to pay according to the Meat Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. This brings great frustration to myself and members alike and we would like the Company to follow the EBA as it was intended when collaboratively written by the Union and the Company, instead of being partially followed, in a way that is in line with the personal interpretation of whichever HR advisor is working in the area at a particular point in time. These clauses were written with the best of intentions by the Company and the Union. It seems strange to me that, for the most part, the only Clauses that are disputed by the Company are those that include the payment of money for the work performed by employees. If you do feel that you are not being paid correctly, if you feel that your roster is being unfairly altered, please, remember – YOU HAVE RIGHTS. Please do not hesitate to contact me on 0417 070 396. The old saying goes – United We Stand, Divided We Beg. I suggest to relevant Store Managers, Area Managers and Human Relations Managers that if you were to bring up with YOUR direct Manager that you had been underpaid, you would expect to be paid correctly, as I am sure you are, although some of YOUR WORKERS, those who do the work for you are not being paid correctly for the work that they are performing. If these workers are paid correctly for the work that they perform, they will become more productive workers for you and the Company at whatever level of management you are. Don’t forget that these workers are often the lowest paid workers in the Company and all they want is to be paid correctly for the work that they do for you.
VersaCold Report
What a wonderful three months it has been! We have had delegate elections and a wonderful team, comprising of both old and new delegates, was elected. We have had a few issues at VersaCold again, mostly to do with the pick rotation. At a JCC a couple of meetings ago, I took it upon myself to attend as many of the rotation meetings held at 9:00am each Thursday as I could. During the subsequent two months, it is amazing to see how much heat has disappeared out of the CDC. That is not to say that everything is rosy, but it is getting better by the day. I have not had one complaint about people having their turn in the rotation. In fact, I have had nothing but compliments about it working. On behalf of the Union, I would also like to welcome the new DC Manager, Matt Hemmingway and new Operations Manager. I have worked with Matt on numerous occasions in the past and have always found him to be a thorough gentleman. I look forward to meeting the new Operations Manager soon. I would like to wish David Palmer all the best in his new career with National Foods and thank Greg Shevae for all the wonderful work he has done in the last few months in order to implement many changes in the DC.
Christopher T. Clark
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