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Issue No. 317 | 28 July 2006 |
Independent of Facts
Interview: The Month Of Living Dangerously Unions: Staying Mum Economics: Precious Metals Industrial: The Cold 100 History: The Vinegar Hill Mob Legal: Free Agents Politics: Under The Influence International: How Swede It Was Review: Keating's Men Slam Dance on Howard
Ridout: WorkChoices �Revolutionary� Telstra Boss Gets Crossed Line Prof: Fair Pay Should Be Lower
The Soapbox Politics The Locker Room
Swimming Uphill Help is at Hand
Labor Council of NSW |
News TNT Snub is Dynamite
Talks with TNT in The Hague on the fate of 36,000 workers in its soon to be sold logistics division broke down last week. Global union federations the ITF (International Transport Workers' Federation) and UNI (Union Network International), spoke of their disappointment that, just days before a bidder is likely to be announced, TNT was not willing to discuss the future for its 36,000 employees whose jobs are 'up for sale'. ITF and UNI have not opposed the sale of TNT Logistics. Workers are simply asking TNT to ensure that existing terms and conditions, collective bargaining and working arrangements are a condition of the sale to a new buyer. Despite having some 20% of its total global Logistics workforce in the UK, the company has refused to enter into consultations with the Transport & General Workers' Union, which represents 15,000 TNT employees. "While TNT puts itself at the forefront of corporate social responsibility by signing up to initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact, its lack of any meaningful dialogue with unions shows that this is little more than rhetoric," says John Pedersen, UNI Assistant General Secretary. "The people who work for TNT are being kept in the dark," says Stuart Howard, ITF Assistant General Secretary. "Unions will mobilise to press for a just and transparent process of sale which protects workers' rights." Unions from more than 20 countries, jointly coordinated by the ITF and UNI, have proposed a global Guarantee of Workers Rights aimed at protecting the 36,000 employees whose jobs are up for sale. Australian TNT employees are covered by the Transport Workers' Union and the Australian Services Union, who are backing the Guarantee.
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