In this issue:

1. Bosses' plan to slash pay

2. We need respect and recognition

3. Slash and burn: the bosses' plan

4. Join your Union today

Bosses' plan to slash pay

Members vow to defend hard-won conditions

Members have vowed to fight to the death plans to slash key working conditions of Victorian security officers by MSS, ISS, Wilson and G4S.

Your negotiating team were furious after meeting with the bosses for a second time on Wednesday 11 May.

In the meeting, the bosses said they want to slash core working conditions that could result in cuts of hundreds of dollars from your fortnightly pay.

Some of the worst changes they want would involve cuts to pay rates of 5% in the first year of some new contracts. They also want to cut shift penalties in new contracts so you are paid only on hours worked after 6:30PM or before 6:30AM.
And that’s just two of the eleven changes they want!

In our first meeting, held before Easter, we outlined our ten point vision for professional working conditions, including fair pay increases, portable long-service leave, recognition and respect for our Union and improved overtime rules.

The bosses responded by opposing most of our ideas.

They won’t put forward any proposal on pay rises until we agree to their cutbacks.
So, if we accepted their plan we’d be left with big cut-backs and no improvements.

“This is insulting to our profession. We will not be pushed backwards. The only thing they’ve done is make us stronger,” said Dave Cooper, ISS delegate and negotiating team member (pictured, front left).

Victorian security officers do some of the riskiest and most responsible jobs in our community. We’re on the front line, protecting people and property. We deserve to be treated with respect.

But these proposed cuts to our conditions are offensive.

We will meet bosses next on 25 May. Between now and then, every Security Union member needs to make your outrage clear: Talk to each other; talk to supervisors; talk to area managers and senior management; and tell them all just how angry you are about this insult.

And make sure all your colleagues are in the Union. Your bosses have just declared war on fair, professional conditions for security officers.

It’s time to take a stand. We all need join together to stop these cuts and win the respect we deserve. If you don’t fight, you lose.

We need respect and recognition

In 2004, Security Union members decided to get out of the Australian “Award” system, and start collective bargaining with their bosses.

Under the Award, the independent industrial umpire decided working conditions and pay increases each year.

By 2004, Award rates were only $1 an hour above the minimum wage.

We knew that collective bargaining would mean we were taking our destiny into our own hands. And the deal we won at the bargaining table would only be as strong as our Union.

That’s why over the last six years, we worked hard building a strong Security Union. So, now our EBA rates of pay are $2.50 above minimum wage.

But we know that’s not enough. We’ve got to keep building our Union, bigger and stronger into the future.

And that’s why a key part of our ten point plan for a professional security industry is for proper recognition for our Union and Union delegates.

This claim is crucial to being able to keep building our Union into the future, and keep winning a fair deal at the bargaining table. We need:

• Recognition for Union delegates
• Paid time for Union delegates to do Union training
• Allowing Union reps to speak to new security officers when they start work
• Allowing for Union fee payment methods including direct debit facilitation
• Allowing Union members to participate in our member organiser program

We’ve told the bosses these measures are a deal-breaker because they’re so important to our capacity to keep winning professional wages and conditions into the future.

“We are angry and disgusted. They are trying to erode away everything we have fought so hard for. We are absolutely not allowing it to happen. No way!” Shane Bennetto, MSS, GMH Fishermans Bend (pictured)

Slash and burn: the bosses' plan

The bosses’ plan to wreck your working conditions:

1. Cut base wages by 5% in the first year, and 2.5% in the second, for some contracts after they are re-tendered
   
   
2. Cut shift penalties in some contracts after they are re-tendered, so you’re only paid for hours after 6:30PM or before 6:30AM.
   
   
3. Remove State Government penalties when those contracts are re-tendered
   
   
4. Removal of compensation for un-rostered public holidays
   
   
5. Lower “introductory” classifications for new guards coming on to site at some contracts
   
   
6. Only recognise public holidays on the day they fall, not substitute days
   
   
7. New procedures for processing Union fees
   
   
8. Cut mandatory notice for leave entitlements
   
   
9. Change part-time arrangements
   
   
10. Remove voluntary overtime opt-in scheme
    
    
11. New drug and alcohol policy

Union members are already saying “no way” to this plan, that would mean the end of professional standards in our industry.

Join your Union today

100% union membership means 100% union strength. Are you going to fight for respect? Or will you sit back and let the bosses strip away your pay and conditions?

Stand up today and become a member of your union. Stand with your fellow guards and show the bosses that we will not take this lying down!

For further information phone 03 9235 7777 or email securitystatewideEBA@unitedvoice.org.au