This Thursday Unite will enter into further negotiations with Skycity Cinemas. It is hoped that this round of negotiations will result in an improved offer from the company that goes beyond the attendants being offered discounted parlour icecreams.

Skycity's 'final offer' - Why we need to take action

SkyCity/Rialto made their final offer to the union in late May.

• The offer included a 3.5% pay increase to positions above Cinema Attendant. Cinema Attendants in Rialto and SkyCity were offered the minimum wage of $12 per hour.


• Gold Class staff were also reduced to the minimum wage. The company disregarded their claim for a higher pay rate even though in the last round of negotiations they recognised this by offer an additional 50c pay increase.


• The only thing the company offered to cinema attendants was to extend the food and beverage discount to include parlour ice creams.


• The company refused to make any offer to the union's non-monetary claims of more secure hours and making shift swapping fairer.


• Unusually the company printed a explanation on their final offer in which they claimed to be surprised at the union's 'unrealistic' pay claim, although these rates are paid by Reading cinema.
• This was the worst offer that has ever been made over the past four rounds of negotiations with SkyCity Cinemas. The offer was rejected by SkyCity and Rialto members. With a voter turnout of 60%, 114 rejected the 'offer' and 13 accepted.


• Since then 40 members in SkyCity Cinemas have joined industrial action (strikes) and 51 new members have joined up to Unite.