Two-year campaign gets enterprise agreement with Maersk
16 March 2010
The AWU-MUA Offshore Alliance has after a two year campaign got the enterprise agreement with Maersk to a point for the crews to consider in a vote.
MUA-AWU Offshore Alliance representatives met with Maersk on Tuesday March 12 and again in the presence of Fair Work Australia on March 13.
These discussions were triggered after the Alliance ran a high profile media and online campaign which suggested we would invite the Australian-born Crown Princess Mary of Denmark to stand up for Aussie rig workers.
The Danish Royal Family are regular boosters of Maersk - the world's biggest shipping company. They regularly enjoy the hospitality of the very wealthy owners of the shipping line.
More than 800 e-mail protests sent
More than 800 supporters of Aussie rig workers sent off protest emails; that seemed to bring Maersk to the table very very quickly.
The outcome of this week's meetings is that Maersk have agreed to the below matters to be included in the proposed agreement to go out to ballot.
• A $2500 sign on bonus if agreement is signed ( replaces Back pay from July 1 2009, taxable and able to salary sacrifice)
• First 5% pay rise from Jan 1 2010, then 5% pay rises July 1 2010, 2011 and 2012 equates to 20% over 3 and a ½ years.
• Back Pay from the first of January 2010( able to salary sacrifice)
• Health insurance for either single employees , or employee and their family on proof of address
• Income protection if injured at work ( current work cover only covers up to $2026.10 per week) Income protection covers the difference
• 5 days bereavement / compassionate leave per occasion
• The $2500 sign on bonus has been agreed that it is payable to employees who will be covered by the agreement and employees that elect to remain on their Australian Workplace Agreements.
• Alliance organisers will be visiting the rig in the near future to progress the voting
arrangements
For more information please contact:
- Mahmut (Hammer) Melkic: mahmut.melkic@awuwa.asn.au or 0419 907 035
- Glen Williams: glen.williams@mua.org.au or 0401 271 740
Pass around this Rig Worker flyer - download here
Please download here!
All electoral matter is authorised by Paul Howes, National Secretary