Union agreements can offer brekky

Date: 30 June 2004

Workers who are under union agreements can also negotiate for a daily cooked breakfast to be part of their agreement, says QCU General Secretary Grace Grace.

Workers under union agreements could also have a cooked breakfast included as part of their agreement, QCU General Secretary Grace Grace said today.

An article in today's Courier-Mail suggests that only Australian Workplace Agreements provide such flexibility however agreements negotiated between unions and employers could also deliver such an arrangement.

QCU General Secretary Grace Grace said there was nothing to prevent agreements including a cooked breakfast for employees as part of any deal.

"Union agreements accommodate for many things including family-friendly working hours, leave arrangements, pay and conditions and many flexibilities required in the workplace.

"There is no reason why such things as cooked breakfasts could not also be negotiated.

"Also, it's ironic that the company highlighted in this particular article wants to encourage employees to work as a team and yet seeks to treat and pay them as individuals by encouraging them to sign up to AWAs.

"AWAs resign you to the mercy of your employer - you are on your own to negotiate not only your pay but your conditions as well."

The signing of the 500,000th Australian Workplace Agreement today provided a timely reminder that despite the Federal Government's persistence over the past eight years, less than 1.2% of the workforce were covered by them.

"This is not a particularly flattering figure for the Federal Government and one which proves that workers prefer to have unions negotiate agreements on their behalf.

"Statistics continue to confirm that workers who are members of unions enjoy pay and conditions far superior to those who aren't members - including those covered by AWAs."

For further information

Contact:	Tania Reeves
Union:	Queensland Council of Unions
Phone:	07 3846 2468
Email:	Taniar@qcu.asn.au
WWW:	http://www.qcu.asn.au

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