It Won't Happen to Me

"Most employers are okay. If I work hard enough I'll be treated fairly". Unfortunately, this is often not true. It is highly likely that at some stage you will experience an employer who considers it a case of dismissing you or losing profits.

There have been many examples in recent years of students receiving unjust treatment. During the 1977 Summer vacation, an incident occurred at the Cable Price office at Kaiwharawhara (Wellington) which illustrates the importance of union membership.

The Cable Price Corporation advertised for "several university students for general store duties for the rest of the varsity leave year." Upon application, the successful students were verbally reassured of the advertisements' promise of work. The students were also asked specifically to work on one Saturday to help with their large stock taking procedure. A week and a half after they started, four of the twelve students were told there was no more work for them. They were given one hour's notice and did not receive any redundancy or holiday pay. The managment also had the audacity to ask them if they would help in the stocktaking on the coming Saturday.

When the students accused them of renegging on their agreement, the management replied that all the students were lying and that no verbal reassurance had in fact been given. Unfortunately, all the students who should have been covered under the storeman and packers award had not bothered to join the union. However, through the aid of the students association, the Union agreed to represent the students. After a delegation composed of the Union Secretary, the Students' Association President and a student representative had been to see the Management, they agreed to a week's pay for all the students sacked, in lieu of notice.

During the 1978/79 Vacation period, there were numerous examples round the country of unfair treatment experienced by students. On one Student Community service programme the students were told by their employer that if they joined the union, they "might find themselves without a job." Other employers, particularly on the SCSP schemes, sometimes unintentionally paid under award wages. Some students went to the union, others just accepted them.

When times are hard, employers assume students will accept shoddy conditions and low pay. Last summer, one shop employer offered an hourly rate of $1.50 for a "presentable girl" to work till Christmas.