Emails

FROM: Al Perez, GM Manufacturing 

TO: Ben Russell, CEO and All Managers 

SUBJECT: RE: Industrial Relations at STAR Industries 

Thank you for your email Ben. In reviewing my area, I believe that our current industry award is not flexible enough to meet the demand for our new products. Set hours of work, penalties for weekend work, and a restriction on overtime means that we cannot even meet our current orders, and even they are down on previous periods.  

I think we need some type of new working arrangement and agreement to be able to better meet customer expectations. 

Al Perez 

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FROM: Karen Coster, GM Finance & Administration 

TO: Ben Russell, CEO and All Managers 

SUBJECT: RE: Industrial Relations at STAR Industries 

Ben and Al,  

Having a broad appreciation of the 'big picture' and the challenges facing STAR, I think we need to consider individual contracts or workplace agreements to cut production costs. We need to reduce overheads. If we can negotiate these with staff then I believe we will be able to return to greater profitability and also improve our industrial relations with staff and the union. 

Karen Coster 

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FROM: Phil Ayoub, GM Sales 

TO: Ben Russell, CEO and All Managers 

SUBJECT: RE: Industrial Relations at STAR Industries 

Dear Ben, Al and Karen, 

I agree with a lot of what has been said so far but my main concern is that our sales staff have been reduced, as you know, and we have been through an organisational restructuring that saw my area affected dramatically. 

Our reduced sales levels may well be a result of reduced sales force but I think we need to research this more closely. Morale and teamwork across the whole organisation are not what they used to be, in my opinion. I would welcome a new policy that addresses these issues. 

Phil Ayoub 

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FROM: Susan Wu, GM Marketing 

TO: Ben Russell, CEO and All Managers 

SUBJECT: RE: Industrial Relations at STAR Industries 

Our current situation I believe involves reduced productivity and sales due to tough competition we are facing from overseas and domestically. Unless the proposed IR policy has some means of addressing these issues I do not yet appreciate the worth of such a policy. 

Susan Wu 

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FROM: Gary Denver, Plant Manager NSW 

TO: Ben Russell, CEO and All Managers 

SUBJECT: RE: Industrial Relations at STAR Industries 

Reading the emails in response to the CEO's statement has been very interesting. I think you all have either ignored or are unaware that we have some real problems with IR that need addressing. With all the changes of late and our declining productivity, sales and morale, I think we need to have a close look at: 

1. Why grievances are so evident and numerous amongst staff
2. Why our staff resignation rate is rising
3. Why our staff absenteeism rate is becoming an issue and
4. Why we have had some OH&S breaches.

An IR policy that addresses the underlying causes of these problems and provides a fair-go for our workers is what's needed. I will be glad to help in any formal review of IR at STAR in any way. 

Gary Denver