SALES OF ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE (Narrative) (Details)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	May. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May. 31, 2014 USD ($)	May. 31, 2015 AUD entities	May. 31, 2015 USD ($) entities	May. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Line Items]
Cash proceeds from sales of accounts receivable programs				$ 441,600,000	$ 494,100,000
Cash payments to the owners of accounts receivable				539,600,000	369,700,000
Discounts on sales of accounts receivable	$ 367,000	$ 1,118,000		1,230,000	$ 2,594,000
Transfers of accounts receivable	46,200,000			148,300,000
Collections	47,500,000			164,000,000
U.S.
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Line Items]
Current advance limit for accounts receivable sold				$ 200,000,000
Number of financial institutions | entities			3	3
Maximum advance limit for accounts receivable sold				$ 300,000,000
Trade accounts receivable sold	343,800,000			343,800,000		$ 389,600,000
Advance payment received on sale of trade account receivable	15,000,000			$ 15,000,000		55,000,000
European program
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Line Items]
Advances, maximum percentage of eligible receivables			90.00%	90.00%
Australian program
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Line Items]
Maximum advance limit for accounts receivable sold | AUD			AUD 75,000,000
Percentage of eligible receivables sold			100.00%	100.00%
European and Australian programs
Securitization or Asset-backed Financing Arrangement, Financial Asset for which Transfer is Accounted as Sale [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sold	116,800,000			$ 116,800,000		147,300,000
Advance payment received on sale of trade account receivable	$ 35,200,000			$ 35,200,000		$ 90,500,000