TAKE ACTION
We need urgent action to improve wages and conditions in the market and social research industry. If we win, our victory will reverberate across the sector and lift hundreds of workers out of precarity and the constant stress and anxiety that comes with it. By joining together, we can help make our voices heard and win the action that is urgently needed. Check out our list of demands and sign and share this petition to send a message to the industry that we’re united and ready to fight.
SIGNATURES:
/What we’re fighting for:
Penalty Rates
Did you know, the Market Research Award is the only Award with no rights to penalty rates for casuals?!
Two days rest - Union members fought hard to win the weekend, why should we expected to give that up without remuneration? Five-day work weeks with two days rest is a standard work week in Australia.
Industry standard – ADIA covers a massive chunk of the market and social research industry and without us, businesses would grind to a halt. This is our opportunity to demand weekend penalty rates for casuals as a new industry-wide standard, just like every other worker in this country.
They need us – much of the work we do requires weekend dialling, which is written into a lot of our contracts. Most call centres already expect us to keep at least one day of our weekend available to be rostered on. If our employers expect us to give up our weekend, we should be fairly remunerated.
Penalty Rates
Did you know, the Market Research Award is the only Award with no rights to penalty rates for casuals?!
Two days rest - Union members fought hard to win the weekend, why should we expected to give that up without remuneration? Five-day work weeks with two days rest is a standard work week in Australia.
Industry standard – ADIA covers a massive chunk of the market and social research industry and without us, businesses would grind to a halt. This is our opportunity to demand weekend penalty rates for casuals as a new industry-wide standard, just like every other worker in this country.
They need us – much of the work we do requires weekend dialling, which is written into a lot of our contracts. Most call centres already expect us to keep at least one day of our weekend available to be rostered on. If our employers expect us to give up our weekend, we should be fairly remunerated.
Working from home
Equipment - A global pandemic is no excuse to make individual employees front the costs of running a business. Our employers must provide the things we need to do our jobs, that shouldn’t change because we’re working from home instead of in an office. We are fighting to standardise provision of home office equipment across all ADIA workplaces.
Reimbursement - If our bosses refuse to provide us with equipment to work from home, then they should pay us back when we’re forced to buy it ourselves. We believe that our current EBA requires employers to reimburse us for these expenses, but that hasn’t happened. Workers should not be absorbing the costs of working from home.
Losing income - Workers are losing income because ADIA bosses won’t supply the equipment they need to WFH, or because of tech or internet problems outside of our control. If our own equipment breaks and we can’t fix it, we can’t earn a living. If it’s our employer’s responsibility to provide and maintain equipment, they can’t blame us when something goes wrong.
WFH loading - When we have to WFH, the boss saves money on utilities like electricity, water, cleaning, heating and cooling. Meanwhile, workers bills go up when we WFH. These savings should be shared with workers instead of going straight to the company bottom line. That’s why we’re fighting for a WFH loading of an extra $2/hr when we work from home.
Working from home
Equipment - A global pandemic is no excuse to make individual employees front the costs of running a business. Our employers must provide the things we need to do our jobs, that shouldn’t change because we’re working from home instead of in an office. We are fighting to standardise provision of home office equipment across all ADIA workplaces.
Reimbursement - If our bosses refuse to provide us with equipment to work from home, then they should pay us back when we’re forced to buy it ourselves. We believe that our current EBA requires employers to reimburse us for these expenses, but that hasn’t happened. Workers should not be absorbing the costs of working from home.
Losing income - Workers are losing income because ADIA bosses won’t supply the equipment they need to WFH, or because of tech or internet problems outside of our control. If our own equipment breaks and we can’t fix it, we can’t earn a living. If it’s our employer’s responsibility to provide and maintain equipment, they can’t blame us when something goes wrong.
WFH loading - When we have to WFH, the boss saves money on utilities like electricity, water, cleaning, heating and cooling. Meanwhile, workers bills go up when we WFH. These savings should be shared with workers instead of going straight to the company bottom line. That’s why we’re fighting for a WFH loading of an extra $2/hr when we work from home.
Fight For 5%
Workers across the market and social research industry are fighting for a 5% annual wage increase – that’s 15% over three years. Here’s 5 reasons why:
1. Cost of living is increasing, wages are stagnant - Real wages for fell by 2.1% this year because of inflation. The market and social research industry makes around $350 million in profit a year. Workers are demanding their fair share so that we can keep up with the cost of living.
2. We do the work! - We are the backbone of the Market and Social Research Industry. Without us, crucial public policy and business decisions would not be possible. We need decent wages that reflect our contribution so we can meet our basic needs, support dependants and live dignified lives.
3. Casuals go weeks or months without work - Our wage rates do not reflect the real income of call centre workers. When there’s no work available, we are expected to rely on Centrelink or a secondary job. Wages need to be higher to provide security for periods of low work.
4. Wages below the Award - Our current EBA wage increases are so low they have not kept up with recent minimum wage increases. Historically, our Enterprise Agreements have ensured that workers in the industry earn well above the Award in recognition that the minimum wage rates in the Award are only a safety net – not the standard. We need to win a deal that pays us wages above the Award.
5. Full time rates aren’t enough - The current hourly rates for full-time workers & the rates for casuals working full-time hours, adjusted for time spent out of work, fall below the poverty line for an adult with dependants in Australia. This job is not pocket money, it is our livelihood.
FIGHT FOR 5%
Workers across the market and social research industry are fighting for a 5% annual wage increase – that’s 15% over three years. Here’s 5 reasons why:
1. Cost of living is increasing, wages are stagnant - Real wages for fell by 2.1% this year because of inflation. The market and social research industry makes around $350 million in profit a year. Workers are demanding their fair share so that we can keep up with the cost of living.
2. We do the work! - We are the backbone of the Market and Social Research Industry. Without us, crucial public policy and business decisions would not be possible. We need decent wages that reflect our contribution so we can meet our basic needs, support dependants and live dignified lives.
3. Casuals go weeks or months without work - Our wage rates do not reflect the real income of call centre workers. When there’s no work available, we are expected to rely on Centrelink or a secondary job. Wages need to be higher to provide security for periods of low work.
4. Wages below the Award - Our current EBA wage increases are so low they have not kept up with recent minimum wage increases. Historically, our Enterprise Agreements have ensured that workers in the industry earn well above the Award in recognition that the minimum wage rates in the Award are only a safety net – not the standard. We need to win a deal that pays us wages above the Award.
5. Full time rates aren’t enough - The current hourly rates for full-time workers & the rates for casuals working full-time hours, adjusted for time spent out of work, fall below the poverty line for an adult with dependants in Australia. This job is not pocket money, it is our livelihood.
Secure Work
The industry award offers the option to move to permanent work after one year of employment but in our current EBA is two years. We need permanent work accessible to those who want it, which is why we are fighting to lower the employment period down to six months. The Award is the bare minimum, we negotiate in our Union so workers are better off than the Award.
Stable work – It is unfair for employers to expect casual workers to provide minimum work availability, medical certificates or disciplinary action for shift cancellations. If our bosses want us to abide by these standards, then they must provide a stable income all year round and paid leave.
Paid leave - The pandemic has highlighted the need for paid Sick Leave. Call centre workers demand access to paid Annual Leave and Sick Leave, rights that were fought for and won by workers in their unions. Now more than ever we need to stay healthy and safe.
Jobs You Can Count On – Every worker should have the right to a secure job that ensures a living wage. It is not good enough that call centre workers are forced to go on welfare or find new jobs to ensure ends meet during quiet periods between campaigns. Welfare sits below the poverty line and should not exist to subsidise low wages. We demand better!
SECURE WORK
The industry award offers the option to move to permanent work after one year of employment but in our current EBA is two years. We need permanent work accessible to those who want it, which is why we are fighting to lower the employment period down to six months. The Award is the bare minimum, we negotiate in our Union so workers are better off than the Award.
Stable work – It is unfair for employers to expect casual workers to provide minimum work availability, medical certificates or disciplinary action for shift cancellations. If our bosses want us to abide by these standards, then they must provide a stable income all year round and paid leave.
Paid leave - The pandemic has highlighted the need for paid Sick Leave. Call centre workers demand access to paid Annual Leave and Sick Leave, rights that were fought for and won by workers in their unions. Now more than ever we need to stay healthy and safe.
Jobs You Can Count On – Every worker should have the right to a secure job that ensures a living wage. It is not good enough that call centre workers are forced to go on welfare or find new jobs to ensure ends meet during quiet periods between campaigns. Welfare sits below the poverty line and should not exist to subsidise low wages. We demand better!