Peace to you comrades.

And also all our loyal members would like to give our utmost gratitude for your support.

We have effectively unionised 80% of our store and morale is at an all time high.

At first this was hard going for me and what small membership we had.

So we devised a plan targeted at none members to show how strong we can be if we stick together.

The members and I held a meeting so we could talk about all our concerns and bring them to managements attention.

1. Management demanding a med cert if someone is sick one day.

2. Management invading privacy (Ringing up homes talking to family seeing if someone is sick).
3. Management not following cash policy taking money out of employee tills to get change etc. (See Fraud and theft prevention- Controls and responsibilities "Restaurant Brands NZ").
4. Management having, and I quote, "This is not a formal meeting" with out giving employees the right to representation. Two managers ganging up on one employee, then using intimidating tactics loud and intimidating tones with employees, intimidating postures - just plain stand over tactics etc.

To our members these where not only big issues but some breach the law. Non-members had the impression that this is the way things always are.

This was the out come of the meeting I had with management on behalf of our members.

1. Management agreed to comply with the Law. If a med cert is requested for sickness after only 1 day sick and the employee produces one they will refund all expenses.

2. Management will no longer invade privacy for any reason what soever. (No more calling family to see if a person is really sick or not).
3. Management will from now on follow all policy the same as everyone else - there are not two sets of rules - just one. They must be disciplined to the same extent that any employee would be. The Manager who breached this policy was also involved the issues outlined in 2. This manager is a member of Unite so our members and I requested a warning and one weeks training at another store. This gives the manager in question time away to freshen up on policy and gives the other members affected time to cool off.
4. No more intimidating tactics if there is an informal meeting between an employee and management the employee must be told that they can have representation. No more two managers ganging up on one employee. Respect must be given by both parties. No loud or intimidating tones, intimidating posture, swearing etc.

All in all this was a "GREAT VICTORY" for not only our store but for all workers and unite members.

Non-members at our store saw how much power we had when we worked together and asked to join. They saw that we didn't need an official Unite organiser or Unite Rep.

Just that the word "UNION" strikes fear into our employers hearts and they must come to the negotiation table with us before we do call an official.

The word has got round our city about this victory and people from other industries have been asking to join the Unite Union. I informed our official Unite organiser about this.

I look forward to working closely with Unite Union to bring about better working conditions and higher pay for all workers.

Peace to you comrades.

"LONG LIVE UNITE UNION"

"POWER TO THE WORKERS"

Yours faithfully