After 3 months of industrial action SkyCity members should be meeting next week to consider and vote on an improved offer from their employer.

The improved offer from SkyCity was made on Monday and so planned strike action on Tuesday night was called off. It’s usual in negotiations that when the union think an offer is reasonable they agree to take it back to their members for approval. It’s then expected as a sign of “good faith” to call off any industrial action until members meet. That was the situation in this case.

The exact details of some aspects have yet to be finalised but assumimg everything is satisfactory there will be meetings next week of union members to discuss and recommend a vote on a new Collective Employment Agreement (CEA) settlement.

The new offer to settle is as follows (*- denotes that the wording on these matters have not yet been finalised):

1. Term
1st October 2008 – 31 December 2010.

2. Wage Increase
5% minimum from 1 October; 4% from 1 January 2010.

3. $500 Payment
This is in lieu of a backdate. Applies only to people who were union members on 1 October 2008. This payment will be made within 14 days of the deal being agreed by members. Non-union staff do not get this payment, nor any backdate of their IEA.

4. $200 Payment
Will be paid to current union members on 1 January 2010 (15 months’ time). Non-union staff do not get this payment. These payments will be pro-rated for part- timers. For these two “union-only” payments, SkyCity wants us to agree to pass-on the other CEA conditions to non-members.

5. Service Pay
- After 3 years - $15 hourly minimum;
- 5 – 10 years - $200 payment each year on a member’s anniversary. This is in addition to the one week’s holiday in the fifth year.
- After 10 years - $500 payment every year thereafter on a member’s anniversary.

6. KiwiSaver
SkyCity will increase its current subsidy of 1% (i.e. up to $10 a week) to 2% ($20 a week). This will apply to wage or salary staff up to $52,000 pa. Thereafter, the 1% remains.
Note: Unite believes the SkyCity KiwiSaver isn’t as good as the union endorsed KiwiSaver and will encourage everyone to change provider after the CEA deal is finalised.

7. $150 Unpleasant Duties Allowance
Paid annually on 1 December to cleaners, housekeepers, groundspeople, and trades assistants. The first payment will be made this December.

8. $250 Tool Allowance
Paid annually to apprenctice chefs on reciept for their knives.

9. Safety Boot Allowance
$60 a pair with reciept.

10. Salary Inclusion*
There is agreement to now extend coverage of CEA to salary union members and give them the choice to go to wages. The discussion to be had with affected members is whether their roles should be included. SkyCity accepts some roles i.e. some supervisors, hosts, security, machine techs, chef
de partie and other ‘front-line’ roles can be
included.

The unions want all salaried union members who are frontline managers or supervisors included in the CEA if they want to. SkyCity and unions will meet with affected members and the union to discuss if they should be included and on what basis.

11. Casual and Part-time Status*
There is general agreement on security of hours and procedure for getting of fulltime work. This also covers fulltimers wanting casual work in other departments.

12. Split Shifts
Current SEA-Unite members won’t have to work split shifts although SFWU and IEAs in F&B will. This is the status quo.

13. CEI Bonus
SkyCity is scrapping the cuurent system. Any new replacement will be discussed before being implelmented.

14. Table Games Rosters
SkyCity wants new rosters. It will need consutation with TG members before final agreement.

15. Disciplinary Procedures*
Agreement to have step before warning as and move personal files to HR.

16. Lieu Day Leave*
SkyCity wants more flexibility in its use.

17. No Shows during Dispute
Any “no shows” or other matter related to strike activity shall be removed from individual member’s files.

18. 24/7 Food and Carpark Prices
No increase in any prices charged to staff during the term of the new CEA i.e. 27 months.

19. New Employees
There will be no increase to the current printed rates in the first year for new employees who are employed at SkyCity after this proposal is agreed by union members.

20. Ongoing Union Relationship and Liaison with SkyCity Management*
Agreement to have regular meetings between management and delegates. Also a process for discussion with unions and any union members affected if any changes come through.

Copies are available from Union Desk in 24/7


What Happens Now?


• Final Offer
There will have a finalised detailed new proposed CEA within a few days.

• Ratification
Once we have it, we’ll arrange paid union “ratification” meetings for union members to discuss and vote on the offer. Once an agreement is reached you will recieve the increase and other payments from 1 October.

• Outstanding Departmental Matters
Before we have these meetings there are number of pay parity and minor claims, as well as operational matters within some departments that still need to be resolved. These departments include Security; Gaming Techs; VIP; Trades Group and Table Games.

• Dates for Meetings
We will inform you of these days and times as soon as they can be arranged. We should know by the weekend. Assuming there isn’t any major hitch the whole process should take no longer than a week from now.

• Daily Updates with Union Advocate
Until a final agreement is reached on a new union CEA I will continue to be available each day (except Sundays) at 8am and 8pm in 24/7 for anyone who has questions or wants updates on any matter related to these negotiations.

• SEA-Unite Desk in 24/7
In the meantime the union desk in 24/7 will continue to be staffed by Rima or Lola from 9am to 7pm Monday to Friday. We have spaces for 40 students on our October intake for the free computer course. Anyone who wants to know about that and the union’s recommended KiwiSaver can see them at the union desk.

In conclusion I want to thank all union members who have been staunch over the past 3 months. We’ll see you at the union meetings.

Matt McCarten
Unite National Secretary and SEA-Unite Advocate
On behalf of the the SEA Executive