Western Port
realestate Western Port
7 July 2015
Your guide to what’s on this weekend for peninsula families
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Tuesday 7 July 2015
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Get priorities right AUSTRALIAN of the Year Rosie Batty has urged governments to rethink their priorities and spend more to help prevent domestic violence and help victims. A poll by Essential Research released yesterday (Monday 6 July) found 74 per cent of 1000 people surveyed across Australia believe domestic violence is as much of or more than a threat than terrorism. Just 18 per cent believed it is less of a threat. “We’re spending hundreds of millions extra on the war on terrorism, but women who fear for their safety are still being turned away from services because of a lack of funds,” Ms Batty said. “As a nation we need to reassess our priorities. Women and children are dying because of family violence and we need to see a commensurate response.” Community campaigning group Fair Agenda, who commissioned the Essential Research polling, says the poll highlights the discrepancy between the scale of the family violence epidemic and government action, particularly in funding family violence services. If you or someone you know is affected by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or see 1800RESPECT.org.au This is a call: Rosie Batty, left, speaks at the launch of Ruth Cyster-Stuettgen’s From Misery to Mastery: Journey to Freedom and Empowerment book at Petersen’s Bookstore in Hastings last month.
Transfield staff protest over EBA Mike Hast mike@mpnews.com.au WORKERS employed by the shire’s long-term contractor Transfield Services held a day-long protest outside the company’s depot in Watt Rd, Mornington, last Wednesday. It is believed to be the first industrial action for 15 years at Transfield. James Weissmann of the Australian Services Union said employees and the company were at a standoff after nego-
TER T E B E
FREAR GE
tiations for a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) broke down. The ASU is the main union of local government employees. Mr Weissmann said the EBA expired in April but Transfield and union had failed to agree on “three important items”: n Workers asked for a 3.5 per cent pay increase but Transfield offered 3 per cent. n Transfield rejected a bid for the pay to be retrospective to April.
n Transfield wanted to pay its staff fortnightly instead of weekly so the union asked for an extra two weeks of pay but this was also rejected. Mr Weissmann said many workers lived from pay to pay and could not afford to wait a fortnight. “We’re really disappointed negotiations have broken down,” he said. “Our workers accepted lower pay increases when we did EBAs with Transfield in 2009 and 2012.”
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He said retrospectivity had recently been removed from the negotiating table by Transfield, which was “outrageous”. He conceded Transfield had upped its offer from 2 to 3 per cent. “The out standing matters are minor; our employees have been more than reasonable.” The picket, now known in industrial relations parlance as a “protest assembly”, lasted all day. Mr Weissmann said no vehicles had been stopped from entering or leaving the depot. More than
$299
30 workers manned the “assembly”. Mr Weissmann said union organisers had tried to contact Transfield on Monday without success. Last December, Transfield announced $73 million underlying net profit for the year to the end of June. Earnings were up 7 per cent to $217 million. Transfield said it expected to generate earnings in the range of $240260 million in 2015-16. Continued Page 12
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