OK AVISEN Tough negotiations Af Tage Arentoft, vice chairman
Unfortunately, an independently negotiated agreement was not reached for the meat processing industry. Compared to the rest of the food industry, however, slaughterhouse workers will not lose much in the settlement proposal, says vice chairman Tage Arentoft. Unfortunately, an independently negotiated agreement was not reached for the meat processing industry. Compared to the rest of the food industry, however, slaughterhouse workers will not lose much in the settlement proposal, says vice chairman Tage Arentoft. For a long time, it appeared that the negotiations on a new collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers would proceed smoothly. But at the last minute, the employers presented a demand which would deny slaughterhouse workers the same economic framework as the other industrial workers. This blocked the possibility of a reasonable solution and, after 62 hours of negotiations, the conciliator concluded that negotiations between The Food Workers’ Union NNF and The Confederation of Danish Indus-
try had broken down. According to vice chairman of The Food Workers’ Union NNF, Tage Arentoft, Danish Crown’s constant pressure on trade union representatives and employees has not made the task any easier. “Making ultimatums that slaughterhouse workers must be given less favourable conditions than the rest of the industrial sector does not harmonise with the concept of negotiations. We have fought for our members while also demonstrating understanding for the situation the meat processing industry is in. But there is a limit. The rule in negotiations is ‘tit for tat’ and we could not accept an agreement where savings for the company were not compensated with something in return. The Confederation of Danish Industry has played by the rule ‘tit for
OK-AVISEN SPRING 2014 THE FOOD WORKERS’ UNION
nothing’. And so the negotiations came to a halt,” says Tage Arentoft.
The best possible result
Tage Arentoft would have preferred to see members at the slaughterhouses vote on an independently negotiated result. But given that this was not possible, he is satisfied that the settlement proposal gives slaughterhouse workers many of the same improvements as all other industry workers have gained in their collective agreement settlement: “Slaughterhouse workers will receive the same pay increase as the rest of the labour market, and they will also get a range of social elements. It’s not flashy, but we can live with it. Therefore, I recommend that members vote yes to the proposal.”
It might be tempting to reject the proposal in protest against the employers and their unwillingness to negotiate. But I would still recommend that our members vote yes on the settlement proposal. In spite of everything, this ensures that slaughterhouse workers are not left behind on the platform as the train leaves the station. And that is important.” Union Chairman Ole Wehlast Fødevareforbundet NNF
A settlement proposal! Jim Jensen, union secretary for the slaughterhouse area: “I am disappointed that we did not manage to negotiate a new collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers. Af Jim Jensen, union secretary for the slaughterhouse area
“I am disappointed that we did not manage to negotiate a new collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers. That was our goal and it is always disappointing to fight for something unsuccessfully. But having said that, I am satisfied that the settlement proposal contains many of the same elements as the rest of the industrial area has received.” Jim Jensen points to wages and pay rates, which – with a few exceptions – are identicalto the food industry area:
“Standard wage increases by DKK 6.75 during the period, while sick pay only increases by DKK 4.50. On the other hand, our nuisance allowance and free choice salary scheme will be increased at the same levels.” The settlement proposal also contains a provision that fired employees have the right to two hours of paid time to meet with their unemployment insurance fund or union to get help with moving forward.
“Looking back at the negotiation process, where we often had a feeling of being three negotiating parties, we have to say that we now have the best possible result. It could have been better, but also could have been much worse. Therefore, I recommend that our members vote yes on the settlement proposal.”
John Sørensen, union secretary for the slaughterhouse area: Negotiating a collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers has been difficult for the nearly 20 years I have been a part of doing it. Af John Sørensen, funion secretary for the slaughterhouse area
“Negotiating a collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers has been difficult for the nearly 20 years I have been a part of doing it. But it has gotten worse and worse,” says John Sørensen about the negotiating process that broke down. The employers’ willingness to enter into an independent settlement continues to decline: “We saw this in 2010 and now once more in 2014. The employers make excessive demands that make actual negotiations impossible. One might be tempted to think that they prefer a settlement proposal to actually reaching an independently negotiated result.” When asked about what motives
OK-AVISEN SLAUGHTERHOUSE AREA
employers might have to seek a breakdown rather than a settlement, John Sørensen says: “An independently negotiated settlement demands more of a commitment than a settlement proposal. With a settlement proposal, the employers can later say: We wanted something else, and since we couldn’t get it through the collective agreement negotiations, we had to make it happen a different way.” John Sørensen believes that the next three years should be spent on assessing how to get back to a situation where the employers are willing to enter into independent negotiations on a new collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers.
What you get in the settlement proposal SLAUGHTERHOUSE AREA WAGES AND PAY RATES Standard wage (including adult trainees) will increase by: 1 March 2014 - DKK 2.10/hour 1 March 2015 - DKK 2.25/hour 1 March 2016 - DKK 2.40/hour Standard wage for trainees: 1 March 2014 - 1.90% 1 March 2015 - 1.90% 1 March 2016 - 1.90% Pay during illness and during a child’s first sick day will increase by: 1 March 2014 - DKK 1.50/hour 1 March 2015 - DKK 1.50/hour 1 March 2016 - DKK 1.50/hour
What you get in the settlement proposal → TRAINING
Education efforts will also be strengthened by increased payments to the Meat and Food Industry Training and Cooperation Fund, which will increase by DKK .15 to a total of DKK .40 per hour in 2016.
→ DISMISSAL
If you are dismissed, you will have the right to two hours of guidance from your union or unemployment insurance fund, with full pay. Here you can get help and advice to help you move forward towards a new job.
→ PARENTAL LEAVE
Parental leave is extended by two weeks – one week for each parent. Parental leave will thus total 13 weeks; five for each parent and three that can be freely allocated between the parents. The maximum payment during parental leave is increased by DKK 5 to DKK 145 per hour, or DKK 23,248 per month. The increased pension contribution during the 14-week parental leave will increase by DKK 1.50 per hour. This means that the total contribution, including personal contribution, totals DKK 12.75 per hour or DKK 2,040 per month.
Nuisance compensation will increase by: 1 March 2014 - 1.5% 1 March 2015 - 1.6% 1 March 2016 - 1.7% The free choice salary scheme will increase by: 1 March 2014 - 0.3% 1 March 2015 - 0.4% 1 March 2016 - 0.3%
REMEMBER TO VOTE OK-AVISEN SPRING 2014 THE FOOD WORKERS’ UNION
OK AVISEN CREDITS: Publisher: The Food Workers’ Union NNF Editor and responsible according to press law: Head of Communications Emilia Maria van Gilse
Photographs: Rune Evensen, Søren Zeuth, HungTien Vu, Henrik Bjerg, Axel Søgaard
Layout: Stine Lindborg, Jacob Tesch Printing: KLS Grafisk Hus Circulation: 7.200
YOU DECIDE – REMEMBER TO VOTE
The Food Workers’ Union NNF and The Confederation of Danish Industry were unable to agree on a new collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers. The collective agreement is therefore covered by the settlement proposal, which covers all of the collective agreements that did not achieve an independent result. You now have the opportunity to vote yes or no on this settlement proposal. It is important that you vote, regardless of whether you are for or against the settlement proposal.
THE COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT PROCESS Many collective agreements will be voted on in the near future. Approx. 600,000 employees in the private sector will be voting on a new collective agreement.
If less than 40 percent participate in the vote, at least 25 percent of all those eligible to vote must have voted no to reject a proposed agreement and trigger a major conflict.
Voting on the collective agreement and the settlement proposal is done at the same time. Either it will be a yes across the board, or a no for all of the 600,000 employees covered by the settlement proposal.
→ HOW TO VOTE:
→ ACCORDING TO THE VOTING RULES::
If at least 40 percent of those eligible to vote participate in the vote, then the result (yes or no) is determined by simple majority.
OK-AVISEN SPRING 2014 THE FOOD WORKERS’ UNION
You will receive a ballot from your trade union representative. If you do not have a trade union representative at your workplace, your workplace will be visited by a representative from The Food Workers’ Union NNF, who will provide ballots. You may also receive a ballot with a return envelope by mail. If you have not received a ballot before 4 April, please contact your local branch of The Food Workers’ Union NNF.
Your vote is secret and anonymous, so neither The Food Workers’ Union NNF nor your trade union representative will be informed of how you voted.
→ YOU ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE WHEN YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE FOOD WORKERS’ UNION NNF AND:
You work under one of the collective agreements that have been negotiated. You are unemployed, but have worked under one of the collective agreements that have been negotiated. You are an early retirement benefit recipient on flexible early retirement and, at the time of the vote, work under one of the collec- tive agreements that have been negotiated. You are a trainee and work under one of the collective agreements that have been negotiated.