Borders staff win historic fight

Melbourne: For the first time ever, the staff of the 
multinational bookstore chain Borders have won the fight to be 
covered by award conditions.

After weeks of intense campaigning by Unite, a group of activists 
dedicated to improving the rights of casual workers, and Borders 
staff, management today announced that they would not oppose the 
introduction of the Retail Award when the issue returns before 
the Industrial Relations Commission in Melbourne.

All workers not on individual contracts will go onto the award 
and get penalty rates for the first time. The penalty rates range 
from time and a quarter, to triple time depending on the day and 
time. For example, workers on Sunday night will go from $14.50 to 
$42 an hour. Managers staying on individual contracts will, 
therefore, be earning their flat rate of $16 on Sunday nights 
compared to staff on $42.

The back-down by the multi-billion dollar company came after six 
rallies (four outside the Carlton store and two at Prahran) 
organised by Unite, mass petitioning, postering as well as the 
brave stance of Borders workers themselves. Borders feared that 
continued opposition to their workers' just demands might lead to 
a boycott campaign and industrial action from their staff.

This victory for collective action sets an important precedent 
for other workers in stores such as Starbucks.

Once the Award is implemented there will be an attempt by the 
Shop, Distributive and Allied Union to sign a collective 
agreement with Borders to get workers currently locked into the 
$14.50 flat rate individual contracts, onto the award.