SkyCity Workers form their own Union
Two weeks ago an inaugural meeting was held by SkyCity workers to form an association to represent the employment interests of SkyCity workers in Auckland.
The meeting elected an interim committee of fifteen members and adopted an interim constitution. Liane Henry and Bernie Harris were elected as interim copresidents.
The meeting chose ‘SkyCity Employees Association’ (SEA) as the name of the new organisation. The organisation has since been formerly incorporated as a legal entity.
This committee was given the task of organising the recruitment of many SkyCity workers as possible. The aim was to recruit the 70% of SkyCity workers not currently in a union.
ensures members have full union rights and protection
SEA has affiliated to Unite Workers Union. This means that any SkyCity employee who joins SEA automatically gets full union rights and protection under law and your current agreement.
This arrangement gives SEA members the best of both worlds an independent association run by the SkyCity staff for the benefit of SkyCity staff, but also has the expertise and support of professional union staff to assist and represent individual members SEA who need help.
Anyone who joins SEA by law keeps their current employment conditions. UNITE will legally be able to enforce all current agreements. When your existing agreement comes up for negotiations SEA with UNITE will negotiate a new agreement.
Months ago we were approached by SkyCity staff asking if they could join our union. We were aware that another union SFWU was on site. But these workers wanted an alternative.
We met with the SFWU and allowed them time to recruit these workers. We offered to stay away until they had a chance to meet these workers. Despite the best efforts of the SFWU these workers decided that they would be better represented by UNITE.
They also felt that the best way for SkyCity workers to be assisted was for SkyCity workers to have their own organisation but assisted by UNITE.
Almost two hundred SkyCity workers have formed SEA. UNITE is happy to work with SEA to ensure that all SkyCity workers who join SEA enjoy full union rights and have their current wages and conditions protected
We are committed to work in the interests of all SkyCity workers whatever union they choose to join.
Yours sincerely,
Matt McCarten, Unite Director
Representing SkyCity workers the only priority
At the first meeting the following was adopted into the interim constitution of SEA.
The purpose of SEA is:
• To protect and further the interests of members employed by SkyCity by carrying out any policy decided in accordance with these rules.
• To strengthen the voice of SkyCity employees by recruiting members at SkyCity to the Association.
• To secure the best possible remuneration and working conditions for members.
• To represent and assist members with employment matters.
• To advance the professional recognition and standards of members.
• To enter into any relationship or affiliation to any organisation to advance the objects of the Association.
• To engage such staff and professional services as deemed necessary to provide a high standard of services to members.
Membership of SEA is open to any employee employed by SKYCITY. Members will democratically elect a permanent SEA committee at a meeting of all SEA members early next year.
The full interim constitution is available to all SEA members
After SEA was established, representatives of SEA and UNITE met with Paul Walsh, SkyCity HR Group Manager. The parties committed themselves to work in a professional and cordial manner. Where we can work together to the benefit of staff we will. Where there are differences or disputes we will work appropriately to reach a settlement. All parties committed to act in good faith at all times. UNITE arranged a program of visiting the site over the next few weeks to encourage staff to join SEA.
SEA was set up two weeks ago after lengthy discussions over several months by SkyCity workers who wished to have a strong collective voice in the next negotiations in 2006. Out of these discussions these workers felt that while the SFWU (the union on site) had done some good work they wanted a union that made the interests of SkyCity its priority.
These workers invited UNITE to a meeting a few weeks ago. The consensus was that the best option for SkyCity staff was to form a staff society that would then affiliate to UNITE. This way SkyCity workers got both objectives met - a collective voice owned and managed by SkyCity workers but in partnership with an experienced union. The best of both worlds. Many long serving staff were very excited by this project and have offered themselves for leadership roles. Many will be approaching you soon and asking you to join them
Since UNITE opened an office in Auckland they have had regular requests from Sky-City workers to join UNITE. They were always told to join the SFWU. But it is clear that many SkyCity workers now want a choice. Of course workers are legally and morally entitled to belong to any union of their choice. In areas where we can work in the interests of SkyCity workers we will work with the SFWU. The SFWU has written to us saying they will work with us in a co-operative manner too. Our view is that the more workers at SkyCity who join either the SFWU or SEA the stronger the voice for SkyCity workers.
Many unions including SFWU are affiliated to the Labour Party. UNITE and SEA are not aligned with any political party. We acknowledge that many workers rights are decided by parliament. Therefore we encourage members to get active politically. But we believe that it’s important for a union not be ‘beholden’ to either an employer or a political party. The only organisation we affiliate to is the NZ Council of Trade Unions. This body includes most NZ unions. The president of UNITE sits on the CTU executive.
We have arranged to have an official notice board for SEA and UNITE. We will keep you informed of events. UNITE staff will come on site in the next few weeks to introduce themselves and meet all employees themselves. We want the 70% of workers not currently in a union to join SEA. We are setting up meetings on your site so we can meet you face-to-face.
SEA is organised by an executive of Sky-City workers who meet every Tuesday. The minutes will be displayed on the notice board. All SEA members are welcome to attend these meetings.
SEA and UNITE fees are a maximum of $4 a week. Part-timers pay just 1% of your weekly wage up to a maximum of $4 a week. You can’t be fairer than that. Fee deductions are organised through payroll. We encourage everyone to join. You have the same union rights as you currently enjoy. But we aim to make things a whole lot better. Sign up with one of the SEA Committee members
UNITE is a member AIL New Zealand. As such all SEA members automatically receive free life insurance. For further infor-mation call 0800-127-887 or do nothing and you will get a letter confirming the detailed benefits after you have joined SEA.
Co-presidents:
Liane Henry
Bernie Harris
Committee Secretary:
Lola Topia
Trustees:
Chris Tatton-Brown
Alex Cooke
Executive Members:
Josie Mulligan
Siu Armstrong
Sean Foley
Candy Sherman
Darlene Adams
Josie Mulligan
Kurt Hume
Biene Atilano
James Fuaaletoe
Steve Hutchinson
Nicholas Lake
Unite Director:
Matt McCarten
Senior Organiser:
Mike Treen
• A registered trade un-ion for 11 years
• Opened an office in Auckland in 2002
• 3500 members in Auckland; mainly in the hospitality and entertainment industries
• Employment Agree-ments in most Auckland Hotels
• Over 400 members at SkyCity Village Cinemas
• Six union organisers in Auckland
• Offices in Wellington and Christchurch
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