Newsletter No. 25
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2004
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Printers in WA get 36 hour week Production and maintenance workers at West Australian Newspapers now have a 36-hour week, a breakthrough in Western Australia for the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union’s long standing Campaign 2003 for shorter work hours. An Enterprise Agreement was registered in January, after protracted and complex negotiations by the AMWU and notice that AMWU members would take industrial action to back up their claims. The agreement includes a 12 per cent pay rise over three years, increases in shift penalties and a 36 hour week that takes the form of a four day week, nine hour day for maintenance workers, with a $275 weekend penalty payment, and a 19 day month for production workers. Security guards and cleaners at West Australian Newspapers also got the same hours, and wage and shift increases as production and maintenance workers, by being included in the same agreement for the first time. The determination of AMW Unionists has delivered them more useable leisure time and decent wages (‘Breakthrough in WA’ 19.1.04 www.amwu.asn.au/ ) |