Dear Members,

Yesterday we wrote to ACC about the AMIEU’s remaining outstanding EBA claims and the Company’s position to move to Base Houry Rates for incentive employees in the boning room.

The following summary provides an update on where negotiations stand currently.

Matters resolved to date –

Negotiations restarted on the basis that all previous claims resolved under the last round of talks continue to be agreed (for more info on the previous offer please look back at the documents sent prior to the September 2025 vote).

Additionally, we have now settled:

Kill Floor – Loading for 2 additional hours (above 38) – An additional 1% to 1st year rates for Kill Floor (equivalent to a 20% all-purpose loading on the 2-hours above 38 per week).

Matters Unresolved –

Wages –

We are seeking a higher wage increase than ACC has put forward:

AMIEU Wage Claim (In addition to the 3% already paid from 1 July 2025) and to be back-paid to 1 July 2025 –

  • Year 1: increase for employees under $30/hr (prior to the 1 July 2025 increase).

AMIEU Seeks 3.5% – ACC current offer 3%.

  • Year 1: increase for incentive employees.

AMIEU Seeks 2% – ACC Current offer 1%.

  • Years 2, 3, (and 4 if applicable):

AMIEU Seeks 3.5% per year – ACC current offer 3% per year.

AMIEU – The relevant percentage increase is to be applied to the employees current hourly/incentive rate in full

ACC offer – the percentage increase applied only to the “new” rate and the dollar value applied to Grandfather and Preserve Rates.

Daily Minimum Rates –

RE: ACC Boning Room Hourly Rates Proposal (as at 11.12.25) –

We sent some feedback to the Company for consideration on 22.12.25. It will be discussed at our next bargaining meeting on 23.12.25.

There are winners and losers in the Company offer and ACC will tell you they are taking away some of the downside risk on incentive earnings. Their offer does sometimes pay up on low output weeks, but it applies inconsistently across different workgroups and the best upside we could find in one week was 3.7% (above current rates) while in the same week another employee would lose over 15% (on current earnings).

The best way of understanding ACC’s offer is limited upside gains on poor performing weeks. However, when output is high, a significant reduction in earning potential. Effectively, a disincentive scheme.

AMIEU response sent to ACC 22.12.25 –

While providing limited daily benefit on lower output days, ACC’s current proposal (for a minimum hourly rate and a change to the incentive payment system) significantly disadvantages incentive eligible earners when higher output is achieved on a shift. The higher the output, the greater the disadvantage (against current earning capacity).

Effectively, without significant adjustment ACC’s proposal would operate as a disincentive scheme.

To ensure members don’t go backwards, daily tally should reflect 6925kg for each Boner and each chain (North/South) should stand alone (except where the work performed feeds to, or is fed by, both chains). Slicer/Brisket/Labouring pools rates should continue to be directly proportionate to the Boners. The base hourly rate should be reflective of base tally earnings at the current ($/kg) rate, plus the agreed wage increase.

Example – Current Boner Preserved (Level 5) $0.0487 $/kg @ 6925kg = $44.37 p/h, plus agreed wage increase. Including proposed AMIEU increase for year 1 (additional 2%) – Boner Preserved base hourly rate $45.26 p/h vs. Company current offer $43.60 p/h.

The pool payment for kgs achieved above tally (6925 kgs p/boner) should include a loading for over tally achieved in ordinary time (our proposal is to load the pool payment by 22% and the rate apply for all purpose).

Leave Rate Earnings (previously Rolling Average) should continue to apply to all leave with the exception of Personal Leave, which is to be paid at the base rate. We make this concession noting that the Company seeks assistance on getting good attendance and in recognition of the move to minimum hourly rates.

New rate incentive eligible – level up to GF/Pres –

ACC has repeatedly rejected the premise of this claim.

Amended Claim as at 22.12.25 –

Recognising the immediate cost increase of converting new to Pres/GF as a significant barrier for the Company, we proposed that the rate for “New” incentive eligible classifications be increased by a further 0.5% each year, above the % increase achieved for Grandfathered and Preserved Classifications for the life of the EBA in both Kill Floor and Boning Room.

Overs in ordinary time –

Boning Room – 22% loading for overs in ordinary time beyond 6925kgs per boner.         Kill Floor – 22% loading for overs in ordinary time beyond daily (current 580) gang.

While the outstanding claims are few, each of them carries a significant cost to ACC. The claims are important for achieving fair and consistent earnings for all employees and closing the gap/removing loopholes in the agreement. One of the most important claims is seeking over tally penalties. The penalty is a way of ensuring the Company schedules a fair amount of work in a day (or pays a penalty for getting above tally output). This claim has the benefit of forcing the Company to be more considerate with how much work they schedule in a day and will impact workloads in a positive way for all employees.

I’d like to wish all members a happy and peaceful Christmas with your family.

I look forward to seeing you all in the new year ready to get this EBA settled with the wages and conditions you deserve!

In Solidarity,

Jimmy Cottrell-Dormer

AMIEU QWANT Assistant Secretary