Talking union

ADELAIDE — SA local government workers are about to begin a 4% productivity bargaining wage negotiation. The deal will be struck individually with about 150 local councils, and will cover about 3000 workers.

MELBOURNE — Victoria's power unions have threatened further industrial action if the State Electricity Commission does not accept an alternative to the privatisation of excavations for a new open cut coal mine in Morwell. The unions claim to be able to do the job $6 million cheaper than the private contractor proposed by the SECV. The unions have traded off working conditions to make this offer; however, the SEC is demanding a no-disputes clause as the price for considering the unions' offer, a demand the unions have rejected so far.

• In a policy paper presented to Prime Minister Paul Keating on January 16, a delegation of Victorian union officials demanded bans on imports from countries that break International Labour Organisation minimum labour standards, preferential treatment for Australian-owned companies and encouragement of investment in environmentally friendly and labour-intensive projects. The paper also proposes that superannuation funds be used to create jobs. The unions say they are not calling for the re-establishment of tariff barriers, but for protection of Australian industries from "unfair competition".

SYDNEY — According to the Bureau of Statistics, the number of unions in Australia dropped from 299 to 275 in the year ending last June. Twenty unions with fewer than 3000 members disappeared through amalgamations in the drive towards the ACTU's 20 big unions plan. Around 48% of unionists are now in the 14 largest unions, which have more than 80,000 members. According to the survey, there were 3.38 million unionists altogether, a slight drop from 3.42 million in June 1990, but the proportion of unionists in the workforce actually rose due to greater shrinkage of the non-union workforce in the recession.

• Aerospace unions have just completed a series of wage deals in which awards in the area have been reduced from more than 20 to about six company/enterprise agreements. The deal at Hawker de Havilland Bankstown created some controversy when a 10% over-award payment originally outside wage guidelines was incorporated in a new paid rates award.

• The vehicle builders' union (VBEF) has secured a productivity deal with Toyota for a 10% pay rise affecting about 6000 workers. There will be an immediate rise of $12.50 (about 3%), with the rest to come in installments over the next 18 months. The deal includes an agreement that the union will minimise disputes for its duration. The metalworkers' (MEWU) and electricians' (ETU) unions have not agreed to the deal.

From GLW issue 40