Holden staff granted 22% pay rise.......

[Gobes32]

Story from here..........

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business...-1226270419600

HOLDEN has signed a record pay deal that will see the income of its staff boosted by 22 per cent.

The 4000 employees will reap the full benefits by 2014 with an eight per cent rise in the first year, The Australian reports.

Union leaders have praised the deal describing it as "spectacular''.

The massive pay rises will come despite the carmaker lobbying the Federal Government for a taxpayer funded assistance package.

Holden jobs in Adelaide for casual and full-time staff in are at risk, it was
revealed recently.

[Gobes32]

The stupidity of this company never ceases to amaze me, I am always the first one to defend auto wages but geez, stories like this make it hard..........

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

The stupidity of this company never ceases to amaze me, I am always the first one to defend auto wages but geez, stories like this make it hard..........

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Has the process got anything to do with the new industrial regulations?

[Joe5619]

f......, that is a very nice pay increase.. You'd think the car industry was on fire with stuff like this.

[Wretched]

nice pay rise but what is it going to cost in the long term?

[Smoke Pursuit]

"Spectacular" say the unions... Wonder if they will think its that "spectacular" when Holden shuts up shop and goes broke. With that 22% increase comes extra superannuation entitlements, payroll tax etc etc. I cannot see how they will sustain it.

[Kryton]

Originally Posted by DASH GT

"Spectacular" say the unions... Wonder if they will think its that "spectacular" when Holden shuts up shop and goes broke. With that 22% increase comes extra superannuation entitlements, payroll tax etc etc. I cannot see how they will sustain it.

Exactly right.
The last big supper before the doors are shut.
And now they can blame the cost of wages when they do shut up shop.

[Brazen]

I think they had pay freezes during the GFC on the proviso they would make some of it up when the economy improves.

[Hally]

And what the article doesn't tell is what the unions have let Holden off the hook for, which has the potential to save the company significant sums of money.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by Brazen

I think they had pay freezes during the GFC on the proviso they would make some of it up when the economy improves.

but it hasn't improved, at all.. in fact it's got worse.

bizarre move to say the least.

[mik]

it might not be all that good, , what have they been earning ?, they may have been on peasant wages for years to keep keep their jobs and the plant open, also have`nt they sacked a heap of people? some of these people might be doing the work of 2.

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by mik

it might not be all that good, , what have they been earning ?, they may have been on peasant wages for years to keep keep their jobs and the plant open, also have`nt they sacked a heap of people? some of these people might be doing the work of 2.

Anyone know Holden's wages, a Ford production worker is on $51k a year, although down days in the last few years have reduced that a little bit. $30 pay rise in the last three years is all they have received. EBA is up for negotiation this year too.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by Gobes32

Anyone know Holden's wages, a Ford production worker is on $51k a year, although down days in the last few years have reduced that a little bit. $30 pay rise in the last three years is all they have received. EBA is up for negotiation this year too.

The lowest rate (non apprentice) is currently N21 classification which was $930 per week as of 15 Nov 2010 (probably now 3% higher), this is for vehicle assemblers. For non trade employees (non supervisory etc), it goes up to N33 classification, which was $1093 per week as of Nov. 2010

N21 $930.10
N22 $954.00
N23 $977.60
N31 $1,025.80
N32 $1,031.40
N33 $1,093.10

N33's are your die setters, control room operators, qa audit etc etc.

[Gobes32]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

The lowest rate (non apprentice) is currently N21 classification which was $930 per week as of 15 Nov 2010 (probably now 3% higher), this is for vehicle assemblers. For non trade employees (non supervisory etc), it goes up to N33 classification, which was $1093 per week as of Nov. 2010

N21 $930.10
N22 $954.00
N23 $977.60
N31 $1,025.80
N32 $1,031.40
N33 $1,093.10

N33's are your die setters, control room operators, qa audit etc etc.

Ford's die setters are on $983.40 a week, leading hands are $40-$50 a week more.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

The lowest rate (non apprentice) is currently N21 classification which was $930 per week as of 15 Nov 2010 (probably now 3% higher), this is for vehicle assemblers. For non trade employees (non supervisory etc), it goes up to N33 classification, which was $1093 per week as of Nov. 2010

N21 $930.10
N22 $954.00
N23 $977.60
N31 $1,025.80
N32 $1,031.40
N33 $1,093.10

N33's are your die setters, control room operators, qa audit etc etc.

Originally Posted by Gobes32

Ford's die setters are on $983.40 a week, leading hands are $40-$50 a week more.

if these are the abysmal rates that people on here say the poor workers are on, then quite frankly there are many on here that need a reality check with the real world. just because figures get released saying average incomes are around $60k, doesn't mean most people are on that coin. it just means the fat cats are getting richer and dragging the average up.

there are plenty of people that would love to be on $1000/week + benefits.

there are plenty of people that would love to get a % increase every year as cpi increases.

the fact is, it doesn't happen. there's also plenty of people other than holden workers that were affected by GFC. some didn't have to work on half pay or reduced hours, they just lost their job. i guess that isn't as bad!!

as for anti unions - there was an article in the australian a bit back that highlights just how much the unions have got holden over a barrel. laying off the workers is probably costing them a whole lot more than this proposed payrise, let me tell you. not many view unions from the point of view of the employer, only the employee.

[burnz]

Originally Posted by bobthebilda

The lowest rate (non apprentice) is currently N21 classification which was $930 per week as of 15 Nov 2010 (probably now 3% higher), this is for vehicle assemblers. For non trade employees (non supervisory etc), it goes up to N33 classification, which was $1093 per week as of Nov. 2010

N21 $930.10
N22 $954.00
N23 $977.60
N31 $1,025.80
N32 $1,031.40
N33 $1,093.10

N33's are your die setters, control room operators, qa audit etc etc.

where did you get those wages from??
$930 for a general hand/labourer..that would be casual not full time..
a brickies labourer is on a little more than that but thats casual/seasonal, and they earn it too.

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by burnz

where did you get those wages from??
$930 for a general hand/labourer..that would be casual not full time..
a brickies labourer is on a little more than that but thats casual/seasonal, and they earn it too.

That would be before tax.

Ford production workers generally make over $1000 a week before tax.

[bobthebilda]

Originally Posted by burnz

where did you get those wages from??
$930 for a general hand/labourer..that would be casual not full time..
a brickies labourer is on a little more than that but thats casual/seasonal, and they earn it too.

Thats from their 2008 EBA, which also includes the fact that from 2008 onwards they continued to have pay rises. Any reduction in actual pay they were receiving was due to the fact that they were working less hours (when working the alternating shift), which in most cases is a no brainer.

Yes it does sound alot, but you go to remember the circle of life that those wages achieve. Without the high wages, these people wouldnt be able to buy a cruze or commodore at reduced rates via the employee purchase program. Without the increased sales that the EPP achieves, Holden wouldnt be able to highlight the high sales volumes as a means to extract more money from the government. Without more money from the government, Holden wouldn't be ina position to pay these employees these wages.

[JC]

Originally Posted by mik

it might not be all that good, , what have they been earning ?, they may have been on peasant wages for years to keep keep their jobs and the plant open, also haven't they sacked a heap of people? some of these people might be doing the work of 2.

Exactly what I was thinking......

[jpd80]

Production workers work hard for their money and after 20-25 years of repetitive tasks
can look forward to a host of degenerative illnesses that will impact on their quality of life.

Not placing them above others, just saying that people in physical jobs only have a finite working life..

[Angeldust]

my guess is they wre on reduced wages/pay rises anyway. this just brings them back in line with other industries.

[Scott]

Taken straight from the Helenic Book of Financial Planning.

Have all the shifts been reinstated? Or are they simply closing the gap between what they had and what they have without going full bottle?

[JPFS1]

22% rise after a 40% cut over the last few years?

[leighm]

Any way you look at it, Falcon and Commodore as unique cars to our market are unsustainable in this global market with a population as small as ours.

The inevitable needs to happen to Ford and Holden. Just look at Toyota Australia, they are sacking workers even though they are building cars here that are designed overseas, but they are still laying off workers. You can bet workers in Thailand did not receive a 22% pay increase this year.

[b0son]

hmmm... 5 years of losses, a year of dubious profit (wasnt most of it courtesy of taxpayer funding?) ... wouldnt be the first time a union pushed for a short-term gain

[Chilliman]

...and so begins the death spiral. Higher wages, more layoffs, expected increased productivity from those who remain, union pushes for higher wages, more layoffs, expected increased productivity from those who remain, union pushes for higher wages, ....and so it goes on until GM shuts the doors.

[Redrum]

22% over how many years? Inflation is around 3.6% nationally and I think this is understated. With the world economies failing and JuLIAR's carbon tax coming inflation will rise, maybe hyper inflation.

[johnydep]

Originally Posted by Chilliman

...and so begins the death spiral. Higher wages, more layoffs, expected increased productivity from those who remain, union pushes for higher wages, more layoffs, expected increased productivity from those who remain, union pushes for higher wages, ....and so it goes on until GM shuts the doors.

The business environment is starting to look very worrying.

Small businesses are receiving letters from Government departments and Unions - laying the ground work for new charges and rules.

I had a visit from a State Gov authority; spent 5 minutes checking and charged $99.75

The business properties council rates increased 5x higher than inflation, water rates, electricity, etc have all increased at rates higher than inflation. These charges have to be added on, and they will increase inflation.

Wages need to go up to cover the costs of Government charges, and increased living expenses.

Don't blame the business.

Blame the Governments and their cronies.

[robbo/region15]

Meanwhile Ford Broady have released there Calender for March '12 with 4 of the 5 Fridays as days off.......

[DoreSlamR]

I too find it odd for Holden to give such a pay rise in these times, especially after asking for more government hand outs...does that mean us the tax payers are now paying the wages of Holden employees? lol

But seriously, without knowing all of the details of this we should be happy for the employees, they've roughed it out with the rest of us and if Holden believe they can handle it, then they can.

Most struggling companies will do the opposite.

So until it's proven that the Holden powers that be have lost their mind we should take this as a positive sign.