Schweppes members hold strong into fifth week of lockout
United Voice members at Schweppes in Tullamarine with NUW delegate Marcus Harrington.
18 January 2012// Workers at Schweppes have entered their fifth week of being locked out, while Schweppes management continues to pay for untrained casual workers, driven in and out of the factory by hired buses, to do their work.
The company has not refused to meet, but are demanding that further meetings are predicated on the union supplying an acceptable 12 hour shift proposal. The company is in effect saying; if you don't give us what we want, we don't want to meet with you.
These workers deserve more respect. They have the right to collectively negotiate their wages and conditions. The NUW continue to support the locked out Schweppes workers. NUW delegate at Woolworths, Marcus Harrington, visited United Voice members to show support last week, and donated $500 of Woolworths vouchers on behalf of the NUW to go towards food and water for the locked out workers.
He said the unity of the United Voice members was an example to everyone and encouraged Schweppes to end their lockout and get back to running a productive workplace based on secure and direct employment and good working conditions.
11 January 2012 // 150 Schweppes workers are still fighting in Tullamarine after being locked out four weeks ago. The United Voice members originally took stop-work action after the company tried to strip their working conditions during EBA negotiations.
One member said they are trying to protect rights that Schweppes workers have fought hard to win over the last decade. He said they were fighting for rights that generations of workers had fought for since Eureka and the Eight Hour Day struggle.
Currently workers have a 35-hour week at Schweppes, allowing people to have time with their families and use overtime hours to boost their pay, which helps to keep up with the rising cost of living. Schweppes management want to force roster changes on to staff that would include weekend work and 12-hour shifts, with only token compensation for working these unsocial hours.
United voice members continue to have a 24-hour presence at the factory, and many have concerns about the health and safety on site after the company brought in an untrained casual workforce to do their work. One of these workers sliced his finger and ligament on a machine last Wednesday. United Voice contacted WorkSafe.
The NUW supports the Schweppes workers and their union, United Voice, and calls on Schweppes to come back to the bargaining table and respectfully continue negotiations with the workforce.
