ASU Delegates in the Call Centre at the West Australian Newspapers (WAN), June Loughlin and Judy Dawes have been very busy in finalising the new Union Collective Agreement (UCA) with their members who are employed as Clerical and Administrative workers. Christine Bell has recently been accredited as an additional ASU Delegate and she will work actively with June and Judith in representing members. The current WAN EBA expired on 31^st May 2007.

Negotiations commenced in March 2007 when the ASU provided the first draft of the UCA. These negotiations were made much more difficult due to the operation of the Howard Government's anti-worker WorkChoices legislation which means that the underpinning Award and also the current Special Casuals Agreement will not apply at all once any new Agreement is made at WAN.

The negotiations stalled when agreement could not be reached on the last 2 matters:

• A "reset" in wages of only 1% to allow members to recover a little of their living standard lost during the last 3 years
• Agreement for the Industrial Commission to be empowered to resolve disputes as the last step of the Dispute Resolution Process

WAN management walked away from the negotiating table and tried to impose a dodgy non-union collective agreement onto the workforce. The boss's agreement would have seen members significantly disadvantaged and would have resulted in our union being effectively locked out of the workplace. A secret ballot for workers was conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission and this resulted in the emphatic rejection of WAN's proposal. 

ASU members and other employees then instructed June and Judith to seek a constructive dialogue with company representatives in order to finalise an acceptable UCA. Significant progress has now been made and we expect to finalise negotiations for the new Agreement in the very near future. The new UCA will maintain all current Award conditions, including those provided by the Special Casual's Agreement, will include increased wages of 4% each year and also an increased casual loading from 17.5% to 20%.

WAN management rolled out a small number of 5 year Individual Contracts (AWAs) in work areas outside of the call centre and tried to encourage employees to waive their rights to the seven day cooling off period provided by law. ASU advised members that they would be signing away their rights and conditions for five years, with no guarantee of any future pay increases. To encourage members to stick with the protection of the UCA, our ASU Organisers stood in the pouring rain to hand out information so that employees were properly informed as to the adverse consequences of anyone signing the sub-standard Individual Contracts (AWAs).

Congratulations to all ASU members for standing together and taking very principled positions. ASU Secretary, Paul Burlinson, has recorded our sincere thanks and appreciation to Pat Judge, Father of the Chapel at WAN, and to all of his members of the Printing union for the terrific support, assistance and encouragement provided to ASU members in the call centre during their struggle to achieve this UCA.

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