North coast workers locked out for seeking fair union agreement: stoppage to go ahead tomorrow
Posted in:
TWU NEWS,
NEWCASTLE
By Mick Forbes
Newcastle Sub Branch Secretary
Transport Workers Union
9 Aug, 2011
By Mick Forbes
Newcastle Sub Branch Secretary
Transport Workers Union
9 Aug, 2011
North coast transport workers will go ahead with a stoppage tomorrow
after their employer, J.R Richards, locked them out today in the latest
development for the workers’ struggle for a fair union agreement.
“TWU members at J.R. Richards Port Macquarie and Kempsey have been attempting to negotiate a TWU collective agreement with Richards since December 2010,” TWU Newcastle and Northern Sub-Branch Secretary Mick Forbes said.
“J.R Richards refuse to even discuss the matter.
“These workers have not had a pay increase for four years and the last increase was 11c per hour.
“Our members are seeking to have increases that will at very least encompass CPI increases; as well as job security, improved working conditions and superannuation.
Due to Richards refusing to even meet and discuss a collective agreement, TWU members applied to Fair Work Australia for protected action orders. These orders were granted around four weeks ago but were not acted upon by the members until today.
“Our members wanted negotiation and consultation with their employer, not confrontation,” Mr Forbes said.
“But the anti-worker attitude of the company has forced our members into a position where they had little choice but to take protected industrial action.”
Today’s industrial action (9.8.11) would have involved a ban on paperwork only, and all other normal functions would have been done including safety checks on vehicles.
However J.R Richards escalated the dispute by locking workers out when they arrived to start work this morning.
A four hour work ban is intended to start tomorrow.
J.R RIchards added further frustration to the dispute by standing down the site union delegate and have refused to answer as to why they decided to take this action against an individual.
“We can only speculate that the company have singled out the delegate due to the TWU leadership role he holds at this site,” Mr Forbes said.
“I am suspicious and concerned that Richards have unlawfully targeted the delegate due to the dispute between the company and the TWU.
“Unless the company commit to begin bargaining in good faith for a collective agreement as they are obligated to do under the Fair Work Act, TWU members intend to continue their action tomorrow.”
“J.R Richards refuse to even discuss the matter.
“These workers have not had a pay increase for four years and the last increase was 11c per hour.
“Our members are seeking to have increases that will at very least encompass CPI increases; as well as job security, improved working conditions and superannuation.
Due to Richards refusing to even meet and discuss a collective agreement, TWU members applied to Fair Work Australia for protected action orders. These orders were granted around four weeks ago but were not acted upon by the members until today.
“Our members wanted negotiation and consultation with their employer, not confrontation,” Mr Forbes said.
“But the anti-worker attitude of the company has forced our members into a position where they had little choice but to take protected industrial action.”
Today’s industrial action (9.8.11) would have involved a ban on paperwork only, and all other normal functions would have been done including safety checks on vehicles.
However J.R Richards escalated the dispute by locking workers out when they arrived to start work this morning.
A four hour work ban is intended to start tomorrow.
J.R RIchards added further frustration to the dispute by standing down the site union delegate and have refused to answer as to why they decided to take this action against an individual.
“We can only speculate that the company have singled out the delegate due to the TWU leadership role he holds at this site,” Mr Forbes said.
“I am suspicious and concerned that Richards have unlawfully targeted the delegate due to the dispute between the company and the TWU.
“Unless the company commit to begin bargaining in good faith for a collective agreement as they are obligated to do under the Fair Work Act, TWU members intend to continue their action tomorrow.”