West Australian Newspapers Production Employees (Enterprise Bargaining) Agreement 1997

WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS

PRODUCTION EMPLOYEES (ENTERPRISE BARGAINING) AGREEMENT 1997

NO. AG 122 OF 1997

1 TITLE

This Agreement shall be referred to as the West Australian Newspapers Production Employees (Enterprise Bargaining) Agreement 1997.

2 ARRANGEMENT

1 Title

2 Arrangement

3 Application of agreement

4 Parties bound

5 Date and operation

6 Number of employees bound

7 Single bargaining unit

8 Avoidance of industrial disputes

9 National standards

10 Relationship to parent awards and previous enterprise bargaining agreements

11 Agreed aim of this agreement

12 Wage increases

13 Night shift loading

14 Annual leave

15 Pro rata long service leave

16 Service pay increases

17 Responsibility payment increases

18 Electrical licence allowance increases

19 All other allowances

Schedule "A" Wages

3 APPLICATION OF AGREEMENT

This Agreement shall apply at the establishments of West Australian Newspapers Limited in respect of all employees who are engaged in any of the occupations, industries or callings specified in the Printing (Newspaper) Award 1979, or the Electrical, Engineering and Building Trades (West Australian Newspapers) Award 1988.

4 PARTIES BOUND

- West Australian Newspapers Limited,

219 St. George's Terrace

PERTH WA 6000

- The Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred

Industries Union of Workers, Western Australian Branch

1111 Hay Street

WEST PERTH WA 6001

- Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information,

Postal, Plumbing and Allied Workers' Union of Australia

- Engineering & Electrical Division - WA Branch

401-403 Oxford Street

MT. HAWTHORN WA 6016

- The Construction, Mining, Energy, Timberyards, Sawmills

and Woodworkers Union of Australia - West Australian Branch

102 Beaufort Street

PERTH WA 6000

The Western Australian Builders' Labourers, Painters & Plasterers

Union of Workers

27 Moore Street

EAST PERTH WA 6004

5 DATE AND OPERATION

This Agreement shall operate from the beginning of the first pay period commencing on or after 1 April 1997 and shall remain in force for a period of three years until 31 March 2000. Discussions between the company and the employees will commence not later than three (3) months before the expiry date of this Agreement.

This Agreement shall not be cancelled or varied unless agreed to by the parties.

6 NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES BOUND

Approximately 380 employees are bound by this Agreement.

7 SINGLE BARGAINING UNIT

A single bargaining unit has been created in accordance with the State Wage Case Principles. This unit, on behalf of their members, negotiated this Agreement with the company.

8 AVOIDANCE OF INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

The parties to this Agreement are committed to observing the relevant award's dispute settlement procedures in respect to any questions, difficulties or disputes arising under this Agreement.

9 NATIONAL STANDARDS

This Agreement shall not operate so as to cause any employee to suffer a reduction in ordinary time earnings, or in Commission recognised national standards such as standard hours of work, annual leave or long service leave.

10 RELATIONSHIP TO PARENT AWARDS AND PREVIOUS

ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS

This Agreement shall be read and interpreted wholly in conjunction with the Printing (Newspaper) Award, and the Electrical Engineering and Building Trades (West Australian Newspapers) Award, whichever is the relevant award. Where there is any inconsistency between this Agreement and the said parent award(s), this Agreement shall prevail to the extent of any inconsistency.

This is the third agreement negotiated between the company and the Single Bargaining Unit on behalf of their members. Both the company and our employees have shared mutual benefits arising from the two previous agreements - West Australian Newspapers Production Employees (Enterprise Bargaining) Agreement 1993 - AG44 of 1993, and West Australian Newspapers Production Employees (Enterprise Bargaining) Agreement 1995 - AG259 of 1995. To ensure the parties still share the benefits from these previous agreements it has been agreed to again incorporate the provisions of Attachment 1, from AG44 of 1993 into this Agreement.

11 AIM OF THIS AGREEMENT

The aim of this Agreement is to continue to consolidate the shared benefits that the parties have gained from the two previous enterprise bargains. For this reason the wage increases provided for under this Agreement are provided on the basis that the parties are prepared to continue to make real and demonstrable changes in both attitudes and the way in which work is performed to facilitate further improvements in productivity and efficiency. These changes will enable the company to achieve a fuller and more productive utilisation of its resources in the future.

The parties reaffirm their commitment to the measures detailed in Attachment 1 of AG44 of 1993 and the process of workplace change and improvement through the process detailed in the ORGANISATIONAL AND WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT (IMPLEMENTATION - JANUARY 1993) flow chart.

The parties will continue to address opportunities to become more competitive and to respond quickly and efficiently to challenges as they occur. The successful introduction of the Motoring Guide is a good example of "responding to challenges quickly and efficiently as they occur". In negotiations to make "Motors" a reality the parties were able to change a number of practices, including rosters, which showed that there is always room for flexibility when it comes to efficiency and change.

There is a clear recognition by all parties that for this company to remain competitive it must be able to respond quickly and positively to the demands of the market and the requirements of its customers. The successful negotiation of the Composing Room - Redundancy and Training Agreement - AG40 of 1996, is a good example of responding "quickly and positively to the demands of the market and the requirements of its customers".

The parties will seek to finalise the issues associated with career paths and associated training.

The parties will commence to negotiate issues associated with achieving a company specific state award for all of our production employees. The parties will endeavour to reach agreement on these issues. However, in the event that the parties are unable to reach agreement on these issues, the parties have agreed to refer the outstanding issues to the West Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

12 WAGE INCREASES

In recognition of this Agreement and the potential to further increase productivity and efficiency the parties have agreed to the following increases in wages:

- 4% from first pay period on or after 1 April 1997,

- 4% from first pay period on or after 1 April 1998 and

- 4% from first pay period on or after 1 April 1999.

The wage rates are contained in Schedule A.

These increases shall not be absorbed into any overaward payments.

13 NIGHT SHIFT LOADING

Under AG44 of 1993 at clause 9 (ix), the company and the then Printing and Kindred Industries Union previously agreed to increase the night shift penalty rate paid to employees employed under the Printing (Newspaper) Award. The parties agreed to increase the night shift penalty rate from 17.5% of the Hand Compositor's ordinary wage to 17.5% of the Compositor Grade 2 wage.

Under this Agreement the company and the Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union of Workers, have agreed to increase the night shift penalty rate paid to employees employed under the Printing (Newspaper) Award. The parties have agreed to alter the night shift penalty rate from 17.5% of the Compositor Grade 2 ordinary wage, to 17.5% of the Composing Level 1 ordinary wage.

The company increased the night shift penalty on the condition that the Single Bargaining Unit, and its members, accept and agree that the issue of night shift penalties has now been resolved.

14 ANNUAL LEAVE

An employee will be able to take annual leave each year on more than two occasions subject to the following requirements:

- The employee's "swap" will need to be approved by his/her manager,

- The leave must be taken within their annual leave roster period, and

- Each period of leave must be for at least one week.

15 PRO RATA LONG SERVICE LEAVE

An employee, after completing ten continuous years of service, will be able to request to take 8.6 weeks pro rata long service. Each period of long service leave must be for at least one week. The company will consider each request to ensure that granting leave at that time will not adversely affect production. The company will not unreasonably deny any employee's request for leave.

All other provisions of the West Australian Long Service Leave Order 1958 will apply.

16 SERVICE PAY INCREASES

Service pay will be increased as follows:

After 14 years and up to 19 years continuous service - $3.00 per week ie $156 per year. After 20 years continuous service - $6.00 per week ie $312 per year.

Subject to fulfilling the qualification provisions of the 1976 Service Pay Agreement, service pay will be extended to all employees covered by this Agreement.

17 RESPONSIBILITY PAYMENT INCREASES

The Responsibility Payment of the Electrical, Engineering & Building Trades (West Australian Newspapers) Award - Schedule 1(3) will be increased as follows:

(3)(a) $7.10 and (3)(b) $13.80 from the first pay period on or after 1 April 1997;

(3)(a) $7.40 and (3)(b) $14.40 from the first pay period on or after 1 April 1998; and (3)(a) $7.70 and (3)(b) $15.00 from the first pay period on or after 1 April 1999.

18 ELECTRICAL LICENCE ALLOWANCE INCREASES

The Electrical Licence Allowance of the Electrical, Engineering & Building Trades (West Australian Newspapers) Award - Schedule 1(5) will be increased as follows:

$15.70 from the first pay period on or after 1 April 1997;

$16.30 from the first pay period on or after 1 April 1998; and

$17.00 from the first pay period on or after 1 April 1999.

19 ALL OTHER ALLOWANCES

All other allowances in the Printing (Newspaper) Award, and the Electrical, Engineering and Building Trades (West Australian Newspapers Limited) Award, will be reviewed on 1 July each year in accordance with the current State Wage Case Principles.

______

On behalf of West Australian Newspapers Limited date

______

On behalf of The Automotive, Food, Metals and date

Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union

(West Australian Region)

______

On behalf of The Communications, Electrical, date

Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing

And Allied Workers' Union of Australia, Engineering

& Electrical Division (West Australian Branch)

______

On behalf of The Construction, Mining, Energy, date

Timberyards, Sawmills and Woodworkers Union

______

On behalf of The Western Australian Builders' date

Labourers, Painters & Plasterers Union of Workers

SCHEDULE A - WAGES

Classification / Current
Rate / First 4%
1-4-97 / Second 4%
1-4-98 / Third 4%
1-4-99 / Total
Increase
Press Room
Printing Machinist / 730.70 / 759.90 / 790.30 / 821.90 / 91.20
Assistant Machinist / 604.90 / 629.10 / 654.30 / 680.50 / 75.60
General Hand / 563.50 / 586.00 / 609.40 / 633.80 / 70.30
Publishing
Publishing Hand - Grade 1 / 594.10 / 617.90 / 642.60 / 668.30 / 74.20
Publishing Hand - Grade 2 / 465.20 / 483.80 / 503.20 / 523.30 / 58.10
Pre Press
Graphic Reproducer / 730.10 / 759.30 / 789.70 / 821.30 / 91.20
Composing
All G2’s & Readers - interim rate / 687.97 / 715.50 / 744.10 / 773.90 / 85.93
Level 1 - all G1’s new rate / 731.64 / 760.90 / 791.30 / 823.00 / 91.36
Level 2 - new rate / 753.48 / 783.60 / 814.90 / 847.50 / 94.02
Systems Mechanic / 664.40 / 691.00 / 718.60 / 747.30 / 82.90
Electrical
Electronic Technician - less than 2 yrs / 758.10 / 788.40 / 819.90 / 852.70 / 94.60
Electronic Technician - more than 2 yrs / 781.20 / 812.40 / 844.90 / 878.70 / 97.50
Electrician Special Class / 732.50 / 761.80 / 792.30 / 824.00 / 91.50
Trades Assistant / 585.80 / 609.20 / 633.60 / 658.90 / 73.10
Engineering
Engineering Tradesperson - Special Class / 732.50 / 761.80 / 792.30 / 824.00 / 91.50
Trades Assistant / 585.80 / 609.20 / 633.60 / 658.90 / 73.10
Building Trades
Building Tradesperson - Special Class
(Carpenters and Painters) / 721.50 / 750.40 / 780.40 / 811.60 / 90.10
Automotive Mechanics
Motor Mechanics / 600.40 / 624.40 / 649.40 / 675.40 / 75.00
Electrical Allowances
Responsibility Shift Allowance
Saturday / 6.83 / 7.10 / 7.40 / 7.70 / 0.87
Sunday / 13.30 / 13.80 / 14.40 / 15.00 / 1.70
Electrical Licence Allowance / 15.10 / 15.70 / 16.30 / 17.00 / 1.90

VARIATIONRECORD

WEST AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS PRODUCTION EMPLOYEES

(ENTERPRISE BARGAINING) AGREEMENT 1997

NO AG 122 OF 1997

Delivered 02/09/97 at 77 WAIG 2350

Consolidated

CLAUSE EXTENT OF ORDER OPERATIVE GAZETTE

NO. VARIATION NO. DATE REFERENCE

1 Title