Low-paid workers at Teys Tamworth are losing out on thousands of dollars a year and missing basic workplace conditions under an expired enterprise agreement, claims the Newcastle & Northern NSW Branch of the AMIEU.
Australia’s broken workplace rules mean that even though the agreement is expired, it continues operating until it is replaced. This has caused the 400 workers at Teys Tamworth to miss out on improved conditions and rights, and for many of the lower grades, significant wage increases as well.
The AMIEU has today lodged a formal application in the Fair Work Commission to terminate the expired Teys Tamworth Agreement. This application comes after months of negotiations in which Teys has refused to budge on any issues of wages or conditions, leaving the AMIEU no other choice.
A Teys Tamworth worker on a level 2 classification in the company’s expired agreement is up to $4,900 per year worse off than they would be under minimum Award wages. These level 2 workers are also missing out on up to $600 per year in annual leave loading, and up to another $750 per year in Saturday overtime rates.
All Teys workers are also missing out on basic Award conditions that all meat workers are supposed to receive, such as guaranteed leave loading, the right to convert from casual to permanent, domestic violence leave, and meal allowances.
This is simply not good enough and the AMIEU is now taking drastic steps to ensure that Teys can no longer take advantage of these workers.
“Teys is one of Australia’s biggest meat processors, with industry-leading profits and a massive partnership with USA food giant Cargill,” said AMIEU Newcastle & Northern NSW Secretary Grant Courtney.
“They are also one of the many companies who exploit loopholes in our weak tax system, paying zero tax in 2015-16 despite a total income of $2.4 billion. It is absolutely disgraceful that they are taking advantage of hard-working Tamworth families like this and we intend to do something about it.”
“The rules are broken in Australia and that means that dodgy old agreements like this one can just keep shuffling on like a zombie, refusing to die. We need to change the rules and that means scrapping these old agreements so that workers at Teys in Tamworth can actually have a fair go.”
More information:
Grant Courtney
Secretary
AMIEU Newcastle & Northern NSW
PH: (02) 4929 5496
amieu@meatworker.com.au
