Call Centres

	Black & White Cabs’ ASU Delegate, Travis Rigby at left and ASU Organiser, John Kelly fly the ASU flag at Black & White Cabs’ Brisbane Headquarters.

Black and White Cabs now have a collective agreement

By ASU-Central & Southern Queensland C&A Branch

The Australian Services Union recently concluded negotiations for a Collective Agreement with Black and White Cabs. This Agreement is a first, and as such, a break through for Taxi Industry Call Centres in Queensland. It is the result of many months of hard work by ASU Delegates on behalf of members.

Benefits included in this Agreement cover workplace issues such as:

• Increases to Friday and Saturday night Penalty rates.

• A commitment from Black and White Cabs to improve rostering arrangements.

• A grievance procedure that   allows for conciliation and arbitration for any issues that cannot be resolved in the workplace.

• Protection of employees' current rights in the workplace under the Award.

• Ensuring that employees will be paid above the new Award when  it becomes law in January 2010.

The ASU was chosen to be the Bargaining Representative in these negotiations by Black and White Cabs' employees and this Collective Agreement was supported unanimously in a ballot of Union members at Black and White Cabs.

This Collective Agreement specifically addresses ASU members' concerns regarding payment of penalty rates and the improvement of staff rostering arrangements.

The Agreement also supports workplace statistics demonstrating that Unions, when involved as representatives in the Bargaining process, secure better conditions and pay rises than non-union negotiated Agreements. (see article on page 5)

The ASU is looking forward to negotiating Agreements on behalf of members in other Taxi Industry Call Centres over the coming months.

In light of this recent success for members at Black and White Cabs, ASU members in Taxi Call Centres should be more confident of negotiating better working conditions and pay rises in their up-coming Collective Agreements.

Make sure your Agreement is completed before January 2010 to lock in your conditions.