Employees at Brismeat are becoming increasingly frustrated with the slow progress of negotiations at the site. It is now almost 3 months since their agreement expired and 15 months since the workers last received a pay increase.
The company have put the delay down to new management wanting to give appropriate consideration to the existing agreement so that “they get things right”. Negotiations kicked off on the 18th July with the company proposing to the bargaining committee that it meet twice each week with a report back to the workers in-between.
From the start the above structure has not eventuated with delays to starting times, cancellation of meetings and little detail being handed to the committee so that the workers can give genuine consideration to company claims. Also of concern is that the company have shown a poorly considered and hurried approach in responding to the employee log of claims.
The committee at the last meeting strongly put forward their concerns over the lack of commitment shown by the company to the negotiations. The committee are now hopeful those concerns have been heard and they will see a more committed approach by the company to the negotiations.
On a positive note the Union is happy to report the company have offered a no strings attached commitment to back paying employees on any agreed pay increase. The Union put to the company if they were trying to bank a back pay to entice workers to vote for a sub-standard agreement. The company responded by declaring they were ” not playing smoke and mirrors” with delaying the negotiations. Lets see if they keep their word.
