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Hi ,
Welcome to our second Unite news for union members and supporters. To subscribe or to change your subscription details use the links at the top or bottom of this page.
Dude - where are my comps?
 Hoyts Cinema chains have mounted an assault on long standing conditions of cinema workers. Skycity is also proposing to remove the longstanding admit 2 complimentary staff tickets.
For years, cinema assistants have been able to access one complimentary movie ticket for themselves and one for a friend each week. They have to use these “comps” at off peak times, so they don’t actually cost the company any real money. The rationale has been that cinema workers ought to be well informed about the movies being shown. After all, they have to answer the movie-going public’s questions.
The US based distribution companies that supply the movies have decided that with the decline in the industry’s profits, these comps are costing them too much. In other words, cinema workers are being asked to pay for this rather than the cinema companies.
Skycity Cinemas are consulting with staff throughout the next week around the proposed change to the complimentary tickets. If you would like to find out more please contact your organiser or delegate.
At Hoyts, cinema workers aren’t necessarily that bothered about being asked to pay a nominal amount (50c) for their comps but they are concerned that this could be the thin end of the wedge. Who knows how much these “comps” will cost in a year, or five years? And then there is the lack of consultation.
Unite believes that before any change occurs in the conditions and benefits of workers, there ought to be consultation with the employees affected. After all, the comps are the main reason that many cinema workers took the job in the first place. They sure don’t do it for the money!
Unite will be approaching Hoyts about this issue over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, it would be helpful if as many members as possible could raise complaints about the loss of their comps with their managers.
Let’s show them that they can’t take things off cinema workers without a fight.
Contact Tom Buckley for more information on 029-445-5703 or email him at tom@unite.org.nz.
RBL Misconduct Reporting:
What you need to know
Restaurant Brands Ltd (KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks) has recently announced a new confidential information phone line and website so that the company can obtain information from employees about misconduct in the workplace. Below are a few things members need to know about the Report It Now website and the 0800 ALERT phone line:
- Unite was not in any way involved in establishing Report It Now/0800 ALERT with RBLNZ or any other firm. Unite has no relationship with Report It Now/0800 ALERT.
- A danger with such anonymous reporting methods is that people could potentially try to use the system to settle personal problems with other employees.
- When you joined Unite you authorised us to be your legal representative in employment matters. This means that you can approach Unite about any issue in your workplace. We will give you the appropriate advice or representation depending on the situation.
- If you are called to a disciplinary meeting or an allegation is made against you, you should contact your Unite organiser. Anonymous allegations against you will not be satisfactory within the disciplinary process, witness statements must be provided by the company. Unite has reviewed its representation methods for disciplinaries and has informed the company that once alleged misconduct is identified then any investigation meetings should not be separated from disciplinary meetings.
- Unite’s position on consumption of company product is that the best way for members to protect themselves from any possible allegations is to not consume any product that isn’t paid for – even when it is offered by managers.
KFC upgrades stores ... and staff
KFC are carrying out refurbishments to a number of their sites across the country. The Blenheim staff were notified earlier in the year that the store would be closed for five weeks. The staff were left unsure about important issues such as payment during the closure and even if their jobs would still be there on re-opening day.
Unite responded to members calls of concern and a petition demanding to know job security, the dates of the closure and payment for the forced leave was organised.
Whilst the petition was being circulated, KFC issued a letter stating there will be no changes to anyone’s employment status and that the dates will become known to staff as soon as they are confirmed by management. Most significantly it states that that the crew will be given the opportunity to learn new skills off site on training programmes and group community activities whilst the store is closed, which is something never before seen within the industry.
Unite warmly welcomes this recent offer and invites all members to inform their union organiser if their store is due to close for refurbishments or for other lengthy periods.
Whangarei $15 an Hour Living Wage Campaign Launch
 On Thursday 6 August at 2.30pm Unite will be holding a meeting of union members employed in fast food restaurants and the local cinema at RSA Hall, 7 Rust Road, Whangarei. We'll be launching our nationwide Campaign for a Living Wage in the sunny far North and are giving local political parties the opportunity to speak on the minimum wage and employment issues.
Come along and support the campaign in the far North!
$15 an Hour Campaign Information 
Download the $15 an Hour petition and back-ground information here.
Download Ten Good reasons to Sign the Petition (2 double sided A5 Flyers on A4 sheet).
Sign up for the campaign newsletter here or join the $15 an Hour Campaign Facebook group here.
Staff changes at Unite
Unite members in most North Shore, Central Auckland and West Auckland cinemas and restaurants will be getting a new organiser in August. Current Auckland based organiser Jared Phillips is moving to cover the Waikato/Bay of Plenty/East Coast/Hawkes Bay area for Unite. Jared would like to thank all members in his former Auckland area and looks forward to seeing delegates and activists at upcoming delegates’ training days in Auckland.
A.G.M. Notices for Unite
As in past years there will be three AGM meetings for Unite. They will be held:
- Wellington: 16th September, 2.30pmat theToi P?neke Arts Centre,
61 - 69 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro.
- Christchurch: 17th September, 3pm at the Trade Union Centre, 199 Armagh Street, Christchurch
- Auckland: 23rd September, 3pm at at St Columba Centre, 40 Vermont Street, Ponsonby
AGENDA
1. Welcome
2. Apologies
3. Minutes of 2008 AGM & Matters Arising
4. President's Report
5. Secretary’s Report
6. 2008-09 Financial Report
7. Constitutional Amendments - Report from Executive, including amendments & voting (section by section)
8. Election of Management Committee
9. Other member remits
10. General Business
Nominations for the following Officers and Management Committee members to be elected at the AGM meetings are now open:
- President
- Vice President
- Secretary
- 3 at large members
- 2 Trustees
- 2 Auckland Reps
- 1 Wellington Rep
- 1 South Island Rep
Nominations forms can be downloaded here (159KB PDF file) or are available from the Unite national office. Nominations must be received by post or fax by 5pm on the 11th September 2009.
The Executive report and recommended constitutional amendments will be available on the Unite website and from the Unite national office after the 10th August 2009.
Any constitutional amendments or other remits for consideration at the conference must be received by post or fax to the Unite national office by 5pm on the 2nd September 2009 and must be signed by at least two current union members.
Unite National Office
phone: 0800 2 UNITE Fax: 09 846 9509
email: support@unite.org.nz web: www.unite.org.nz
postal address: PO Box 7175, Wellesley St, Auckland
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The biggest bludgers are in our Parliament
 Our MPs would have been embarrassed when details of their expenses were published on Friday, as the result of this newspaper's campaign for transparency. I particularly enjoyed the defensiveness of Sir Roger Douglas when sprung about running up $44,000 of our hard-earned taxes on overseas holidays. ....read more of Matt's latest Herald on Sunday column.Read Matt's previous columns here
Check it out
Contracting out a "race to the bottom"
Telecom engineering staff are taking strike action to protect their jobs. EPMU Secretary Andrew Little says the problem is clear:
"The root cause of today's action is Telecom's contracting model, which plays contractors off against each other in a race to the bottom on wages and the stability of the network. Our members at Transfield face being forced into dependent contracting with an outfit called Visionstream, which wants them to buy their own van and tools and assume all the risk of the operation themselves."
.....more
here.
The Minimum Wage and Unemployment
The U.S. minimum wage has just gone up by US70 cents (NZ$1) an hour and the usual claims from employers of higher unemployment are being heard. Dean Baker from the Center for Economic and Policy Research is having none of it:
"The impact of a rise in the minimum wage on employment is one of the most heavily researched topics in economics. Virtually all of this research shows that it will have little or no impact on employment.'.....more
here and here.
They've tried it before
Support the campaign against privatisation of Auckland’s big economic assets like the new water company or the ports, right down to our swimming pools, parks and libraries. Don’t let Rodney Hide and his mates flog off our libraries, parks or ports to multinational corporations!
Website:
www.notyourstosell.co.nz
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/notyourstosell
Virtual Unionism
Online games don't have to be all about trolls and wizards, grunts and guns. In Crane Wars unionised ("certified") construction workers build while fending off attacks from non-union scabs. Fair to say that some of the tactics required to win aren't in our delegates handbook.
Unite Australia wins $112,000 for workers
UNITE (Australia) was inspired by Unite (New Zealand) and has been campaigning against convenience store giant 7-Eleven. It is starting to bring results. After a series of protests and media publicity, UNITE has forced the Fair Work Ombudsman to take action against 7-Eleven franchisees that have been underpaying international students. Five 7-Eleven stores in Melbourne's CBD will reimburse 88 workers $112,000. A sixth 7-Eleven store has been instructed to credit almost 1000 hours of annual leave back to 12 workers who were not accruing the entitlement but should have been.
The Melbourne outcome follows the recent recovery of $50,000 for 80 workers at 15 7-Eleven stores in Sydney's CBD. UNITE is still pursuing back pay for several groups of workers employed by 7-Eleven in Geelong. More on UNITE Australia here.
Unite in the media
Read Unite Organiser John Minto's columns in The Press here: The dogs are out.
Read John's NZ Herald article on prison sentencing: Chief Justice puts the cat among the pigeons.
Read John's previous columns here
Read the American Monthly Review interview with Director of Organising Mike Treen about Unite: Unions in New Zealand Organize the Unorganized, Win Gains in Minimum Wage.
Contact Unite
Website: www.unite.org.nz
National Office
phone: 0800 2 UNITE
Fax: 09 846 9509
email: support@unite.org.nz
postal address:
PO Box 7175
Wellesley St
Auckland
Northland/Auckland Office
phone: 09 845 2132
address:
6A Western Springs Road
Morningside
Auckland
email: support@unite.org.nz
Waikato/Bay of Plenty
Jared Phillips
mobile: 029 494 9863
email: jared@unite.org.nz
Wellington & Marlborough Office
phone: 04 384 2946
Matt Jones
mobile: 029 201 3837
email:matthew@unite.org.nz
Christchurch
Joe Davies
mobile: 029 201 3859
email: joe@unite.org.nz
Unite Organisers & Staff
Click here for the contact details of all Unite Organisers and staff.
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