Police ordered to bust through peaceful picket line at Baiada
Police line up in front of community picketers before attempt to break line
On Friday night, at about 11pm, a peaceful crowd of members and community picketers were ambushed by police at the call of Baiada.
After the company took the NUW to the Supreme Court to have officials of the Union injucted from the picket line - police were called in to forcibly remove the workers. They have again had to make the decision of whether to stand together on the picket line in order to try and take a message to Baiada that they will not be disrespected any longer. Even after their officials have been forced off the
actual picket line, many workers made their own decision to continue with the strike action.
A majority of workers have never been on strike before, but they have been bullied and intimidated for so long they say they feel they have no other option but continue to remove their labour and stand united.
NUW members continue to tell the Union movement, community supporters and the media at large that they want cash in hand contractors gone, they want a safe workplace, they want respect from management and they want secure jobs. They continue to struggle for this. Their stories matter.
It is shameful that the company used 80 police to try and drag their workers from a picket line, when they could fix the problem very quickly and easily by amending their EBA to hold standard rights that all Australian workers deserve.
Tragically, NUW member and Baiada Poultry worker, Phong Nguyen had his legs crushed by police when they moved in. He was taken to hospital in an ambulance in a neck brace. Thankfully he is now at home recovering, but his workmates were terrified that he may have suffered permanent damage and the violence reminded many of another fatal accident at the factory last year, when contract cleaner Surel Singh was decapited while cleaning a line. On the night that police attacked, workers remembered their fallen workmate with chants of "Surel Singh, here present". How many workers have to be hurt or die before the company listens to their workers?
The extreme tactics used by Baiada to intimidate and repress workers has to stop. Why won't they ensure a safe factory for their workers to work in? Why won't they pay all workers a minimum wage? Why won't they hire workers in secure jobs that will see them be able to plan their future, get a home loan, and contribute taxes to our community? These are the real questions that need answers, and it is clear that the workers at Baiada have the courage to keep fighting for these things - for their workmates, for their families and for their community.
