By Ewan Hannan<\/p>\n
Staff at transport giant Linfox are the beneficiaries of a groundbreaking new workplace deal. <\/p>\n
Linfox will lift superannuation contributions to 15 per cent, increase wages by 12 per cent and make casual employees permanent after six months, under a deal that has been hailed as a pacesetter by the Australian Council of Trade Unions leadership<\/p>\n
Unions and Linfox management yesterday welcomed the agreement that delivers three annual 4 per cent pay rises and commits to increasing superannuation by one percentage point each year over six years, taking the rate from 9 to 15 per cent.<\/p>\n
Transport Workers Union national secretary Tony Sheldon said the commitment for casual workers to be converted to permanent employment after six months set a precedent.<\/p>\n
"The ACTU called for workers to be made permanent after six months of continuous work, and it was bagged, but here is a major employer that can see a secure workforce is profitable and worth the investment," Mr Sheldon said.<\/p>\n
"This is a highly dangerous industry and this agreement is not only lifestyle-changing but lifesaving. There are still operational matters to resolve, but we expect the package will be recommended by delegates to members by Christmas with a final document by January."<\/p>\n
A Linfox spokesman said the new agreement reflected the company’s position as an industry leader in safety, compliance, training and superannuation.<\/p>\n
"Attracting and retaining the best possible people is fundamental to ensuring productivity and customer service requirements, which differentiate Linfox from other logistics providers," the spokesman said.<\/p>\n
He said the commitment to increase superannuation to 15 per cent demonstrated Linfox’s commitment to its employees<\/p>\n
"The company genuinely believes it has a responsibility to look after its people and allow them to retire with dignity and with sufficient financial security," he said.<\/p>\n
ACTU president Ged Kearney said the agreement on casuals was "a pacesetter which will drive higher productivity for the company over the next few years".<\/p>\n
"Linfox has shown that agreements can be done which provide job security for employees, and clear benefits for the company from having a satisfied, secure and permanent workforce," she said.<\/p>\n
"Other big employers should take a leaf out of Linfox’s book because it is time Australia confronted the issue of precarious work: casualisation; underemployment; outsourcing; offshoring; labour hire.<\/p>\n
"It needs to involve government and we are happy to listen to industry solutions, too."<\/p>\n
Ms Kearney said the agreement to lift superannuation contributions to 15 per cent represented "industry best practice".<\/p>\n
Article from The Australian, December 2010.<\/p>\n
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By Ewan Hannan Staff at transport giant Linfox are the beneficiaries of a groundbreaking new workplace deal. Linfox will lift superannuation contributions to 15 per cent, increase wages by 12 per cent and make casual employees permanent after six months, under a deal that has been hailed as a pacesetter by the Australian Council of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":774,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9,3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n