
Issue No 86		02 March 2001

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News

Lock-Out Tactics Poison Neighbourhood

By Andrew Casey

The use of lockouts is an un-Australian act now being used increasingly because the Howard government has given free rein to these ugly tactics, workers on a picketline in Revesby were told today.

"I grew up in this neighbourhood. I know it well. We've never seen a lock out in these suburbs but, thanks to Reith, we now have a lock out here in Revesby at Mirotone," Federal Labor MP , Daryl Melham, told more than sixty workers today.

Federal and State Labor MPs in NSW and Queensland today showed their support for Mirotone's locked out workforce by joining picket lines in two states.

" We are heartened by the community, union and political support we are getting in this struggle against a company who wants to destroy long established hours of work in the paint industry by forcing their staff onto AWAs," Cheryl Hyde, LHMU Assistant National Secretary said today.

" More and more people are showing their support for workers caught in an increasingly bitter battle to defend working conditions."

In Queensland the Federal Labor Member for Oxley, Bernie Ripoll, joined Mirotone workers on the Wacol picketline.

In Sydney Daryl Melham, the Federal Labor Member for Banks, and Allan Ashton, the State Labor MP for East Hills joined the Revesby picketline.

Melham and Ashton met with Mirotone management for about three quarters of an hour to tell them they did not like the way their constituents are being treated by their employer.

The South Coast Labor Council Secretary, Arthur Rorris, has offered to send a delegation up to join the picket in Revesby.

MUA members from Patricks in Sydney have already been at the site, as have local community groups and student groups to show their concern at what looks like a company committed to an ideological battle to introduce AWAs and get rid of the 35 hour week.

Paint workers from the other major Australian paint companies Taubmans, Wattyl and Selleys are also backing the Mirotone workers.

Mirotone hopes to get its workers in Revesby, NSW, and Wacol, Queensland, to work longer hours in an attempt to get an unfair competitive advantage in the paint industry.

The LHMU has gone to the Federal Court claiming coercive activity by the company.

" This small company is like the tail that wags the dog," Cheryl Hyde, the LHMU Assistant National Secretary, said.

" Mirotone hopes to break the long established industry standard of 35 hours a week just so that it can get a bigger share of the paint pie.

" The company already has two people on AWAs ( individual employment contracts) at Revesby - now they want everybody working for them in Queensland and NSW on AWAs.

" They called our Revesby delegate into the office and told him he had to take a company job or be made redundant.

" We regard this as coercive activity to force our members into a deal on the company's terms, so we have now started legal action in the Federal Court."

" The company is hoping to break the commitment of our members to union standards by locking them out of the workplace," Cheryl Hyde said.

" While they've been locked out the company has sent messages to their homes offering them inducements, saying they'll be let back through the factory gate if they sign individual agreements.

" These sordid tactics won't work," Cheryl Hyde said.

" This is a paint manufacturing company ideologically committed to breaking the 35 hour week.

" Our people are prepared for what looks like a long fight against the company's longer hours campaign," Cheryl Hyde said.

Messages of solidarity can be e-mailed to Cheryl Hyde, the LHMU Assistant National Secretary at:

[email protected]

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  Issue 86 contents

Interview: Master of Opposition
Over the past five years, John Faulkner has turned the Senates Estimates structure into his own House of Pain. He explains the art of Opposition.

Politics: Beazley the Bridge Builder?
As the Howard Government flounders, Brett Evans looks at the challenges Kim Beazley faces as his hour of destiny approaches.

Unions: Lashing & Loathing at Patricks
Three years since one of the Howard Government�s most infamous episodes, the Waterfront War, Zoe Reynolds discovers how casuals are now doing the doing the dirty work on the docks.

Legal: Workers Without Rights
Mark Morey outlines the legal status and (lack of) rights for foreigners in Australia on working visas.

International: Dispatch from the Dispossessed
Mahendra Chaudhry, Leader of the People's Coalition and the Fiji Labour Party comments on this week�s court decision.

Economics: Business Power and Mobility
The US election season makes it patently clear how Big Business is able to transform its financial resources into political power via campaigncontributions.

History: The Spoilers and the Split
The Movement, Groupers, the DLP and The Doc. All have been blamed in various ways for the ALP split in the 1950s, ensuring the ALP was kept out of federal government until 1972. Can One Nation return the favour?

Review: The New Hard Politics
Dennis Glover argues that policy has taken over from spin as the political battleground of the new century.

Satire: Bradman Latest: Family In Dramatic Court Action
The family of the late Sir Donald Bradman yesterday sought a restraining order against Prime Minister John Howard after it became apparent that he wants to be involved in every single detail of the The Don's funeral.

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» Test Case: Is Redundancy a Universal Right?

» Who Pays for the Public Works?

» Seven-day Strike at Five BHP Mines

» Chubb Cuts Place Security Guards at Risk

» Vic Employers Support New IR Laws

» Lock-Out Tactics Poison Neighbourhood

» Shangri-La: Lawyers Take Over from Thugs

» Daewoo Workers See The Ugly Face Of Globalisation

» Labour Wings to Meet in Macquarie Street

» Costa Kisses the Rings

» Meat Workers Dropped from the Queue for Q Fever Vaccine

» Activists Notebook