Union relief at July 1

AWU central district secretary Keith Ballin.

Darryn Smith

AUSTRALIAN Workers' Union central district secretary Keith Ballin has welcomed today's enterprise bargaining talks with Bundaberg Sugar with a sense of relief - because it is July 1, and the start of the federal government's new Fair Work laws.

“We'll be able to tell them, 'Negotiate or we'll see you in the (Australian Industrial Relations) commission and they'll help you negotiate',” said Mr Ballin yesterday.

However, Bundaberg Sugar general manager Ray Hatt said: “It will be interesting to see what the AIRC thinks.”

Today's are just the latest round of talks around pay and conditions between unions and management. They have dragged on for months and have continued amid the annual cane crush.

Mr Hatt says increasing productivity is crucial to an industry that is struggling to survive.

“We need to make the business profitable so we can support the growers and keep the growers in business,” he said.

“The sugar industry's been here for many generations. It would be nice to have it here for another generation.”

The AWU says world sugar prices are at record levels and the management is trying to take advantage of workers. It is seeking a pay rise of around 4.5% and no change in workers' hours.

Mr Hatt says the Bundaberg Sugar employees are paid about 40% over award, and that shift workers do 197 days a year and day workers a little over 200.

Mr Ballin says any full-time employee is expected to do 1976 hours per year at work, and this is what is generated through the shift and day systems run at Bundaberg Sugar.

Many workers did 12-hour shifts and weekends.

AWU organiser Tony Beers said that if management did not put some suitable options on the table, the union was prepared to take the matter to Bundaberg Sugar's Belgian owner Finasucre and seek the sacking of the local management.

Mr Hatt said that Finasucre had put the local management in place to run the business.