an update on this thread. The union have finalised their shopping list, and the survey crews (led by Neptune staff who have had pay cuts) are meeting on 14th May to finalise before the MUA turn the screws on the survey companies (Neptune, Utec, Fugro, EGS, DOF)
Here is the verbatim (copy/paste) log of claims. It makes interesting reading.
Log of claims Off Shore Surveys Industry.
What is presented below is the suggested total Log of Claims that has been collated from emails and surveys completed by the Off Shore Survey workers. It is important that we now meet over the coming weeks to debate and vote on what the workers of the Off Shore Industry want in their official Log of Claims that will be presented to the employers. This process is about taking the below Log of Claims in its entirety and balloting each item for inclusion or exclusion, this will then make up the your industries first Collective Agreement.
Day Rates (A$) Classification Day Rate Offshore Party Chief 2000 Senior 1600 Grade 1 1400 Grade 2 1200 Graduate 1000 Trainee 800
1A/ Swing cycle to be implemented that is industry standard of 28 days on 28 days off.
1B/ Off shore shift hours to be capped at 12 hour.
1C/ To provide flexibility to the employer workers will permit the employer to extend swing periods by 2 days or 48 hours only with no penalty all normal conditions and wages will accrue. After this period double payment for any additional day will accrue and be backdated to day one of the over cycle.
2/ Shared cabin allowance 32.90 for double 42.90 for triple 52.90 four or more.
3/ Any on board negotiated hardlay claims to apply to subsea surveys
4/ $144.00 per day for travel expenses occurred while joining a swing or vessel.
5/ 6% annual increase for the life of this agreement.
6/ Income protection insurance at the expense of the employer.
7/ Off shore day rate to be paid for travelling door to door.
8/ All expenses accommodation medical travel and meals to be paid by the employer for any illness or work related accident until workers reach their designated home location.
9/ Paid training, up skilling or maintaining skills to meet by the employer. 100%
10/ Super rate to be 13 percent and paid on all earnings.
11/ Premium private Health insurance to be paid by the employer and to cover all immediate household members
12/ All expenses and travel expenses to be paid by the employer, door to door.
13/ Day room to be provided/offered for transit delays exceeding more than 4 hour.
14/ Personal contents insurance for on board items while on swing.
15/ Foreign Ports. 1st class accommodation with all meals and transfers to and from airport, hotel and vessel to be covered by the employer. An overseas allowance of 75.00 per day to be paid by the employer. Any travel to foreign ports expected to take longer the 8 hours overnight accommodation to be provided in a hotel for fatigue recovery before joining a vessel.
16/ Travel insurance to be provided by the employer for items and health.
17/ Qantas kudos memberships to be paid for by the employer
18/ Contractors not to be engaged if permanent part time or casual employees available.
19/ All foreign or 457?s visa workers to be employed on the collective conditions.
20/ Gym membership to be paid by the employer.
To put this in context, a typical party chief gets about A$150k per annum today. If the new claims go thru, it will go to $400k. The union insists the companies can afford to pay staff these rates.
The additional benefits (qantas club, gym, 13% Super etc are all off the bottom line of the survey companies.
The most likely outcome of this is the staff will be laid off, and be hired back as casuals.
What really beats me is that the directors of Neptune have met with AMMA to try and combat this, but have failed to inform the market of these activities.
It is quite shameful.
NMS Price at posting:
3.5¢ Sentiment: None Disclosure: Not Held
