
Issue No 75		27 October 2000

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Festering Joy

By Rowan Cahill

Scottish pipers and 200 well wishers and family members were on hand in Moss Vale on Monday as 63 Joy Mining Machinery workers began their return to work.

It was a cool Spring morning. The air was alive with union flags, and joyous applause. An emotional occasion.

Before the workers walked through the factory gates to the skirl of pipes, they were addressed by union officials. AMWU state secretary Paul Bastian, AMWU organiser Alan Ward, and South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris congratulated the men on their unity and resolve through almost seven months of strikes and lockouts.

Beyond the celebration, however, were undercurrents of unease. Despite having won a 12 per cent pay rise over three years, a single workplace agreement, and maintaining a unionised workplace, workers remain concerned about their long-term security.

By Wednesday rumours were circulating in the close knit semi-rural community about looming retrenchments at Joy, although no approaches have been made to the unions concerned (the AMWU, AWU, and CEPU).

But it took less than an hour back at work on Monday for the company to show its colours, ending the long accepted 10-minute paid morning tea break. According to the AMWU this sort of action is inflammatory and takes matters back to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

Creative interpretations of the back-to-work agreement by Joy management cannot be ruled out.

While wise heads prevail on the workshop floor, Joy workers are in no frame of mind to play games or be further insulted and pushed around.

Each man is hugely out of pocket because of the dispute, and the company's decision to employ a thuggish bunch of interstate scab provocateurs during the last four weeks of the dispute was the final and disgusting straw.

Obviously it is too early to close the watching brief on Joy. This looks like being a festering dispute that simply won't go away.

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Issue 75 contents

Interview: Civilized Capital
The FNV's Harrie Lindelauff explains to Peter Lewis how a friendly government and moderate employers make for a different sort of workplace in Holland.

Politics: Where Too Much Politics Is Barely Enough
With daily newspapers providing polling and analysis, television, cable, radio and Internet providing 24 hour coverage over a year long campaign -- there's more than enough politics for even the most voracious American political junkie reports Michael Gadiel.

International: US Cleaners on Hunger Strike
A number of US cleaners have this week gone on a hunger strike to back a union campaign for higher wages.

Economics: The Pass The Risk Trick
Derivatives, often seen as the currency of casino capitalism, are the fastest growing, largest and potentially most volatile aspect of capitalist economies. Economist Dick Brian sees behind this image an even deeper danger.

Health: Depressing Workplaces
New technologies and the impact of globalisation have sparked more stress and bouts of depression for workers, while causing a growing burden for social security systems, a new ILO report says.

Unions: Costello's Con
The low paid are bearing the brunt of the GST with inflation at a 10 year high argues the ACTU's Greg Combet.

Satire: Bush campaign an in-joke, admit advisors
TEXAS, Thursday: Following Bush's disastrous performance in the first Presidential debate it has been revealed that his bid for president is actually the result of a in-joke about how stupid the American people are.

» ACTU Calls For Compo For Costello's Inflation Spike

» Despair At Our ABC

» Outlaw Banks Strike Again

» Church Leader Confesses: We're Not Always Good Employers

» Building Workers Win $150 A Week Pay Rise

» MUA Prosecutes Patrick

» WA Secrecy Laws Gag Union Members

» LHMU Seek $1 An Hour Rise

» Picket Protects Broadway Squats

» APHEDA Appeal For Palestinian Medical Relief

» World Bank, IMF To Consult Unions

» Festering Joy

» Heath Our Hero Wins Two Gold