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Issue No. 324 | 15 September 2006 |
Democracy Rules
Interview: Australia�s Most Wanted Industrial: The Fox and the Contractor Unions: Industrial Wasteland International: Two Bob's Worth Economics: National Interest Environment: The Real Dinosaur History: Only In Spain? Review: Clerk Off
Broken Down and Packaged for Export Child's Play: New Low for Spooks Buy Gum and Masticate on "Associates"
Legends The Soapbox Obituary Fiction
Labor Council of NSW |
News Meat Man Steaks Claim
Northern Beaches resident David Mulligan said while he regretted the loss of jobs, tworkers were not "flexible" enough to keep his company afloat. "Cowra Abattoir needed and expected flexibility from the unions to ensure its business and most jobs would survive the challenges of the drought and the increased cost of transport," he said. However, according to administrators, Mulligan had his own ideas about flexibility. "Records of the company show an amount of $1,775,358 owed by [Mulligan's other company] PD Mulligan," the report said. The closure has left a question mark over the workers entitlements, estimated to be worth $2.8 million. The ACTU has called for an investigation into potential breaches of corporate law, and has taken a swipe at the Federal Government's Office of Workplace Services. "[Mulligan] sacked the 27 workers and offered 20 of them a job back with a 30 per cent pay cut, and the Office of Workplace Services was sent in to have a look at the circumstances and duly found that it was all legal and ridgy didge, under the IR laws of course, to sack people and offer 'em their job back with a pay cut," ACTU secretary Greg Combet said. "But of course there's a bigger picture to this, and the bigger picture we now see potentially involves breaches of the Corporations Law." An Office of Workplace Services report leaked to a the Daily Telegraph in July found Cowra's attempt to sack the workforce and re-hire them on lower wages was legal. Prime Minister John Howard deflected questions over Cowra's finances, saying it was a matter for Australia's corporate watchdog, ASIC. So far, ASIC has said it is not investigating the matter.
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