More new members
07 July 2007
The Sutton Group–Welcome to the Union!
By Mark Apiata-Wade
The Sutton Group, based in Airport Oaks, South Auckland, is a privately owned company who contract packs to the Food, Beverages and Dairy Industries globally. It was established in 1987 by Brent and Denise Sutton.
The purpose built factory currently packs approximately 5,000 tonnes of milk powder into cans, sachets and bags and they also have a small blending plant.
After initial contact a couple of months before Christmas (the site was a Greenfield site, not unionised for its first 20 years of operation), we now have 40 union members out of a potential 50 factory workers and have just finished negotiating their first ever Collective Employment Agreement.
This has been a major success due in large part to Paul and Tu'uta and a couple of other keen unionists on site encouraging their workmates to join.
Whilst we would all have liked more, the workers were happy, considering what they previously had, it's a good start. Settlement was ratified by 100% in a secret ballot.
As the Company had grown from very small beginnings, workers were hired on Individual Agreements and it had got to the stage where there were 40 different pay rates for approximately 50 workers.
Workers were naturally concerned that they were working with their mates, doing the same job and might be getting paid less.
The Collective is for a 2 year term.
- 2nd year - 3.0% or CPI, whichever is higher.
- Historical rate protection - so nobody's rate is reduced due to the new pay scale (including increases).
- Pay scale now 5 divisions with 3 steps/grades within each.
Site Delegate elected is Paula Hemara and her Deputy Site Delegate is Tu'uta Naufahu.
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