Hotel and construction workers sizzling over individual work contracts

by Peter Mac

Fines of up to $2,000 for late arrivals, "on call" status 24 hours a day 
and seven days a week, no holiday loadings, reduced meal and rest breaks 
and reduced penalty rates and overtime rates. These are some of the new 
conditions that French-based company ACCOR wants from workers at its Sydney 
hotels.

Hotel employees were joined by construction workers last Monday March 8 in 
a demonstration against the company's actions outside ACCOR's three luxury 
hotels in Sydney's Darling Harbour (Novotel, Ibis and Mercure).

The demonstration, which took the form of a sausage sizzle, was held in the 
doorway of the Novotel Hotel. It was said to have been the source of 
considerable interest to the guests and of considerable embarrassment to 
ACCOR.

The company, which made a handsome $20 million profit last year, is trying 
to force employees at its new hotels to sign individual Australian 
Workplace Agreements (AWAs), that include the new conditions.

The conditions were previously rejected by workers in the established 
hotels, who led a successful series of protests against the contracts.

The AWAs, which were introduced under Workplace Relations Minister Peter 
Reith's legislation, include provision for penalising workers up to $2,000 
for minor offences, including being late for work.

ACCOR General Manager Clive Scott recently claimed that his actions were 
not anti-union, and indeed posed as the worker's friend, claiming to be 
defending them against the union!

Said Mr Scott: "We realise the union has a right to take certain action, 
but we insist workers' rights are not diminished in any way".

However, he left no doubt that he would be unwilling to negotiate regarding 
employment except on the basis of AWAs, and without union involvement. He 
only noted grudgingly: "Once people have looked at the AWAs, we have 
changed some of them to suit."

The hotel workers, who include members of the Liquor, Hospitality and 
Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMWU), have been joined in their stuggle by 
members of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Engineering Union 
(CFMEU).

A National Day of Action, which is proposed for Wednesday March 24, will 
include a stopwork meeting in front of the Novotel Hotel and a 
demonstration.

The dispute is being watched with considerable interest by a number of 
unions. They are aware that similar action could be initiated by other 
hotel chains, and that the case could set a precedent for similar attacks 
on workers' pay and conditions in other industries.

The LHMWU is asking for all union members employed in the ACCOR hotels to 
attend the Day of Action on March 24, for non-members to join the union and 
the struggle, and for other union members to provide support.