Unite has been negotiating with Readings cinemas over the Movielands contract over the past three months. There has been some improvements being offered on the transport allowance, projectionist tools, providing milk and sugar along with the tea, coffee and milo and implementation of breaks. Three claims remained outstanding; security of hours, food and beverage discount and the term of the agreement. It seemed like progress was being made on these issue but Readings notified Unite that they will not include security of hours in the contract, they want to remove all food and beverage discounts and have a three year contract!

Readings doesn’t have a single policy on food and beverage discounts so the discount varies from cinema to cinema. At Rotorua Readings staff had their food and beverage discount removed last year without warning. Readings said that staff in Australia don’t get a discount on food or beverages so there was no reason why staff here should get it.

Unite now covers all major cinema companies and Readings Movieland will be the only cinema that doesn’t give its staff a food and beverage discount. Most major cinemas are now including security of hours provisions in their contracts following pressure from the union over the past few years.

Organiser from Unite will be visiting Movieland cinemas over the next few weeks to discuss these issues and the contract. If you have any questions please contact Tom on 029-445-5703 or tom@unite.org.nz