Read your workplace agreement!

[Hiero]

I work in social services, I am a youth worker. I worked christmas day, which I had done two years ago, before our current workplace agreement. When the collective workplace agreement was signed I was over seas and didn't read it, even though I had a copy in my email I was lazy.

This christmas I worked and received only double time, before the agreement we used to get paid double time and half. So basically workers signed an agreement where on public holidays we receive less. The clause that states this is very poorly worded and confusing.

The point I am making, when starting a job really read the workplace agreement or read your current agreement if you haven't. When it comes through to sign the next agreement, read it carefully as well and compare. Then make sure other workers are aware of what is in the two agreements and the differences. If you can't win a certian gain then ask for the clauses to be worded perfectly so all workers can understand it.

[FreeFocus]

Sorry to hear that, but it's a good learning experience for others so that they don't make the same mistake. Reading contracts is like a damn science project. Gotta be careful with them.

[NoOneIsIllegal]

I really do agree with the OP. Know your rights. I know so many co-workers who have had confusion or been fucked over when it comes to issues like: sick days, personal days, benefits, etc.

Know thy enemy ;)

[RED DAVE]

I work in social services, I am a youth worker. I worked christmas day, which I had done two years ago, before our current workplace agreement. When the collective workplace agreement was signed I was over seas and didn't read it, even though I had a copy in my email I was lazy.

This christmas I worked and received only double time, before the agreement we used to get paid double time and half. So basically workers signed an agreement where on public holidays we receive less. The clause that states this is very poorly worded and confusing.

The point I am making, when starting a job really read the workplace agreement or read your current agreement if you haven't. When it comes through to sign the next agreement, read it carefully as well and compare. Then make sure other workers are aware of what is in the two agreements and the differences. If you can't win a certian gain then ask for the clauses to be worded perfectly so all workers can understand it.Do you have a union?

RED DAVE

[Hiero]

Do you have a union?

RED DAVE

I will quickly explain my workplace. It is a one on one residential care. The company rents or owns houses/units and sets up the placement to a standard to house youth from 12-18. We either do day shifts or night shifts and only see other works at change over of shift or work meetings.So contact with workers is often limited.

I am in a union, but it is a non unionised workplace. I think there has been one or two other people in then union It has been very hard to organise the union there. Firsty I put out pamphlets last year and within a day or so someone snitched to the boss and the boss called in my supervision (montly meeting) as soon as I was coming off shift. In the meeting she asked about the pamphlets and union, which I think was not legal.

When I have asked other people about joining the union a select few who I think I can trust it is eithe flat out no, or someone will follow my line of thought agreeing with me on the need to organise and have a union but then when I say "well join this union it is $16 a week.." they get a bit quiet and never follow it up.

While I have been talking to workers around change overs about central issues I often feel like I am one man army. While people may agree with me, I am the only one talking about doing something. We can force a new agreement if we get 50% of workers to agree we want a new one. But I feel as soon as I start actually organising something I am going to be the only actually standing up and be the one who gets crucified. They get alot of causals in and young people, it is a pretty volatile workplace,

[blake 3:17]

I'm maybe a little ultraleft on the question of unions at present. I've been active in three locals and have been burnt by two of them... I think there's a basic failure in the official labour movement to deal with certain types of work and workplaces.

I've been working for years in front line social services and it can be an effin nitemare in terms of contracts, following labour law, and enforcing collective agreements. If you're part time/contract/casual it gets harder.

Depending on location, some laws may provide a very basic "collective agreement" (in one workplace we functioned as a union without any of the legalities (it was a very very very small workplace...)). Even there I had to make a stink for the employer to follow labour laws, although I was less concerned for myself or my co-workers in immediate terms but if the employer had screwed up they'd have been bankrupted by any legal action I or a particular goverment branch may have had to take, which would have put me out of a job.

I've been in one extremely large local where my unit (biggest in numbers, but all part time and much turn over) got continually screwed by both the employer and the local. There were a few minor protections in the collective agreement which exceeded the law, but only by a teensy bit. To actually get a grievance filed was a whole other matter...

Last year I decided to forget about unionizing my workplace and pay my dues to a local direct action group that'd actually have my back if I got screwed over. In small non-profits there's all sorts of cross overs between staff, clients, and management. I gave up the idea of unionizing one workplace because the most pissed off workers were part of the same family as the managers. Watcha gonna do?

The other challenge in the non-profit, and broad public sector is that we as workers don't often have much sway over making profits or producing surplus value. So some babies, disabled or elderly people don't get their diapers changed or fed on time? Do capitalists lie in bed worrying about this? No.

More political and sharply strategic tactics need to be used to put pressure on both the employers, the State, and any other moneyed interests involved. One quite quirky (and very left) union I was in got results, because they did not mess around. Collective agreement expired, no new agreement? STRIKE! And the employer knew so they took it seriously...