SEA Reaches 350
More than 350 SkyCity Workers have now joined SEA.
That’s incredible! SEA gets the best of both worlds; an organisation run and controlled by SkyCity workers with a union staff that is independent of management with the skills and experience when needed.
For those who haven’t yet joined - now’s the time.
Inaugural General Meeting
SEA will be holding its first AGM on Thursday 14 April 2005. There are four meetings in the LDC. They are at 10am-12noon; 12-2pm; 8pm-10pm; 10pm-midnight. The meetings are paid for those members who are rostered on.
SEA officers and the executive will be elected at these meetings. All nominations will be open on Thursday 7 April and close on Wednesday 13 April. Nominations forms will be available at the notice board 7 – 13 April. The agenda will be posted on the SEA-Unite notice board on April 7. If you want anything on the agenda put it in our suggestion box at the notice board.
Letter to Paul Walsh on bonus
No doubt you are aware that staff were very disappointed not to get the bonus. Achieving a 4% profit increase at SkyCity despite the new legislation, the renovations etc seemed to me to be a pretty good result. It seems to me the bar must have been set pretty high for the staff not to get there. The profit increase is of course given to shareholders without any recognition for the workers.
I am aware that there is the possibility that if the staff meet the new target for Jan-June they may be able to get the CEI bonus for the previous period. This could be a genuine motivation BUT no one has any idea whether the company targets are the least bit realistic. What I can't understand is why there is not some more transparency in the process. How do you expect to motivate people when they think they are making a good effort only to be told that haven't met a target they haven't been told about? Is there any thought to making the target known? Maybe explaining to staff what may be required to meet the target?
Bonus systems always have problems but if you don't have the information needed to make an assessment they can appear to be a bit like the mouse on a treadmill unable to ever get to its perceived goal. I would appreciate a response able to be communicated to the members.
Mike Treen for SEA-Unite
Riggers Pay and Training
The workers who swing outside SkyTower cleaning windows, hanging banners, putting up swinging stages get a little over $12 an hour.
The Riggers have a problem getting their training finished. They are short-staffed and therefore have increased workloads because once the riggers do get trained they leave for better wages elsewhere.
SEA delegate and Rigger’s supervisor Tangata Tuitupou (together with Unite organiser Mike Treen and SEA executive member Josie Mulligan) met the Property Services Manager Steve Donaghy and Paul McCloskey, the new HR Manager.
The meeting went well. Tangata spoke well for his team. Management will come back with a response as soon as they have investigated the issues.
Disciplinaries, shifts, staffing
We have dealt with a number of disciplinaries. Several warnings have been withdrawn – including a final written to achieve a fairer outcome. As a result of one meeting a worker received a written apology from a member of management.
We are concerned about people being told they are changing shifts without any real consultation. It involves a major change for peoples work life with significant impact on workers families. It shouldn’t be done without discussion and an opportunity to object. Contact the union if you face this situation.
Met management about staff not getting their breaks in 24/7. Management agreed the situation wasn't acceptable and that they were understaffed. Pledged to fix the staffing situation so it won't re-occur.
Hotel Housekeepers
We are concerned about workloads in housekeeping. Many workers are missing their breaks and are not being paid for the extra hours they work due to their workloads. Some housekeepers start their shifts early and are working after their finish time without pay. This is not fair. SEA-Unite delegates and officials met the company to discuss it. An assurance was sought that housekeeping staff be advised not to start working before the 8am start time and that the housekeepers clock out time is the time housekeepers are paid to.
The Unite Staff who help at SkyCity
SEA executive members (who are also SkyCity workers) carry out most of the work on behalf of SEA members. But they are assisted by Unite staff. We are proud of our SEA delegates and the three main Unite staff who assist them.
Mike Treen is Unite’s senior organiser and leads up the Unite support work for SkyCity. Mike has special responsibility for new sites throughout Auckland. He has helped organise the Restaurant Brands Call Centre, the Sky Village Cinemas group and Burger King. Mike is also the organiser of the Postal Workers Federation and helps negotiate their national agreements. Mike used to be an English Language teacher and currently looks after several language schools for Unite. Mike is also a spokesperson for Global Peace and Justice Auckland. Mike sits on the SEA executive.
Rima Taraia was a cleaners’ delegate in the Hotel industry for over 10 years and an executive member of the SFWU before joining Unite. Rima joined Unite because she is passionately committed to helping hospitality workers to improve their wages and conditions. In the last year Rima and Chris have helped workers to get Collective Agreements in 15 hotels in Auckland. Rima has special responsibilities for the back of house workers
Chris Lennon has been in the hospitality industry for 15 years and been a union delegate for over 10 years. Chris has special responsibility for front of house and food & beverage in the hospitality sector. Since Chris has been with Unite we have negotiated Collective Employment Agreement in 15 hotels and 700 hospitality workers have joined Unite.
SEA fulltime membership fees are $4 a week. This amount will not increase during all of 2005. SEA members decide on the fee structure at their AGM
Unite is New Zealand’s fastest growing union. Our current office has got to small to fit us all in. So we have a new office. We are holding an office warming party. You are all invited. 7pm Saturday 9 April at 6A Western Springs Rd, Kingsland (off New North Rd)
Unite has given its full support to the 5% plus campaign launched by the Engineers Union (EPMU). Our first agreement since that campaign was with a contract cleaning company in Auckland hotels and we got a 5-10% increase and a range of benefits including 1 week extra holiday after 3 years.
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