THE leadership of the largest blue-collar union at the Kimberly-Clark Australia Millicent Mill will meet on Wednesday to consider a new enterprise bargaining proposal from the company.
The management committee of the Construction, Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) oversees the interests of 260 workers at the plant.
The two parties appeared before the Fair Work Commission in Melbourne on December 18 which was followed by a phone conference three days later.
At this time, KCA gave a commitment to make a revised proposal.
According to the CFMEU, a revised proposal has now been presented to the Melbourne-based Federal officials of the CFMEU for their scrutiny.
Following Wednesday’s management committee meeting, further forums involving the local CFMEU members are planned.
The previous enterprise bargaining agreement expired on June 30, 2015 and the workers last received a pay rise over four-and-a-half years ago.
Last October, the majority of the CFMEU members rejected an enterprise bargaining offer from the company of a staggered 4.5pc pay rise and a $1000 cash incentive.
Multiple union sources told The South Eastern Times that 53.6pc of members had rejected the offer which also had changes to working conditions.
If accepted, the agreement would have governed operations at the Millicent Mill until July 1, 2020.
As a result of the ballot outcome, the CFMEU sought a conciliation hearing at the Fair Work Commission.
KCA then also made a similar application under Section 240 of the Fair Work Act.
CFMEU Federal secretary Alex Millar said he would participate in Wednesday’s forum by telephone.
“Some of our members had issues with the content of the proposed agreement and a proposed restructuring,” Mr Millar said.
“They said these proposals were a block to them voting for it.
“The company has now come up with an alternative proposal.
“The committee will review it on Wednesday”.
KCA Millicent Mill management was approached for comment but declined.
