
Issue No 97		25 May 2001

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Boss Pockets Compo Payment

By Mark morey

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (Printing Division) has been forced to recover a member's workers compensation payment back from administrators because the boss decided he needed it more.

This is just one of numerous rip-off tactics that have been used by the bosses of Champion Uniforms Marrickville. Around thirty workers sacked from Champion Forms are picketing their former workplace in a bid to highlight their recent sacking by administrators. The workers, sacked with little warning have not received any redundancy pay, they have not received their annual leave payments or any other entitlements.

Meanwhile, the AMWU has discovered the bosses hiding behind a company structure and high finance scheme that is nothing more than another outrageous sham. The AMWU have discovered that Champion Forms comprises of at least seven related companies which protect the bosses while leaving workers with nothing. One company employed the workers, while a second company collected payments for completed work and another company was responsible for the property assets. Additional companies, which are still operating, hold the assets and continue to profit. All the companies have the same directors.

This is another example of where a company goes into receivership, as in the case of Grenadier and National Textiles, and the workers are left without a job and their legal entitlements. When will this Federal Government do something about this issue? How long do the workers of Australia have to wait before their legal entitlements are protected with payouts not dependent on whether the directors are related to prominent Australians?

When will Tony Abbott pull his head out of his on going quest to be Prime Minister and start doing the job he has? Tony something is really happening out there and you are missing in action.

This Government is happy to chase and vilify easy targets such as people receiving income support payments, migrants and refugees, but when it comes to regulating greedy bosses with all their legal and accounting manoeuvrers it all appears to be a little too hard. If you're not a boss then it's all BAD LUCK. This government is not sneaky, it's just down right dishonest and lacks any backbone when it comes to protecting the rights of workers and their families.

These situations are no longer tolerable. If Centrelink overpays you the government hounds you, if you rip off workers entitlements you get to go free. Howard's battlers are short changed once again.

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Issue 97 contents

Interview: The Big Bribe
ACTU president Sharan Burrow emerges from the Federal Budget lock-up to ask where is the Howard Governmentï¿½s vision for the future?

Compo: Where To Now?
As the dust settles in the WorkCover war, we look at what's been achieved and what still needs to be resolved.

Unions: The Real Big Brother
Have you ever got the feeling someone is watching you? If you work in one of the 4000 Call Centres in Australia then youï¿½re probably right.

International: The Not-So Shakey Isles
NZ Council of Trade Union secretary Paul Goulter looks at life for the workers under a Labour Government.

Corporate: BHP: The Bit Australian
The BHP Billiton merger was an act of corporate tyranny. And, as Zoe Reynolds report, humanity does not figure on a corporate balance sheet.

History: A Proud Tradition of Mediocrity
Budgets always generate hype and a media circus, especially in the lead up to elections. This one is no exception and the Coalition consistency in panic and lack of ideas is reassuring in its lack of ideas.

Review: Ideologically Sound
Mark Hebblewhite trawls through the CD rack to dispel the notion that there's no politics left in pop.

Satire: HIH Recovers Own Losses
The collapsed insurance company HIH has lodged a claim with another insurer to be reimbursed for its $4 billion loss.

» Spotlight on HIHï¿½s WorkCover Link

» Construction Industry Faces Safety Crisis

» Statewide Strike Off But Della on Notice

» David and Goliath Battle at IBM

» Natashaï¿½s Democrats Face Senate IR Test

» Howard Abandons Working Families

» City Councils Recognise Birth ï¿½ Now for the Bush

» BHP Forced to Back Off Kembla AWAs

» Impulse Bores Workers Into Submission

» Coach Drivers Win Permanency

» Boss Pockets Compo Payment

» Union Wins Battle in AWA War

» Publicans Want to Reduce Bar Pay

» Abbott Agrees to Ban Asbestos

» Union Acts to Save Leichhardt Refuge

» Trade Union Choir Turns Ten

» Activists' Notebook

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» Thanks from Indonesia

» Hester Spot On

» Fuelling Voter Anger

» May Day - The Debate Continues

» Not a Chaser Fan

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