Strike threatens ‘dry’ Christmas

By Bridget Cook
BEER supplies could be affected in the lead-up to Christmas season, as Dandenong Visy workers join more than 400 workers across the state in a strike.
About 100 Dandenong Visy workers held a 24-hour stop work on Monday 29 November, and took indefinite strike action again on Friday.
The Australian Manufacturers Workers Union (AMWU) said the strike action was being taken over an enterprise bargaining agreement, with Visy rejecting key additions to their employment agreement.
Over the past two and half months the AMWU has sought to reach an agreement with Visy that would include a comprehensive dispute resolution clause, fair pay increase over three years and the introduction of a heat policy. Those submissions have been rejected.
Since the workers’ Enterprise Bargaining Agreement expired on 30 September, Visy has offered Dandenong workers a four per cent wage increase each year for three years.
But workers are seeking a five per cent annual pay increase over three years
AMWU print division national secretary Lorraine Cassin said with Visy plants producing cardboard packaging for breweries including Fosters, if workers didn’t return to work, Christmas beer supplies could be threatened.
But she said the major concern in the Dandenong area was the fruit and vegetable boxes and car component boxes, which come from the Dandenong plant.
Ms Cassin said the indefinite strike action at Dandenong would continue until negotiations were made.
“It is not going to end at this stage,” she said.
“It will not come to an end until Visy comes to the table and makes genuine negotiations,” she said.
Visy Dandenong delegate Wayne Maslen the workers were left with little choice.
“For too long we’ve been ignored,” he said.
“This was the only way to send a clear message to management. Start listening to people.”
Mr Maslen said the workers have had enough.
“We want to know why workers at other Visy sites have been offered pay increases,” he said. “This decision hasn’t been taken lightly (the industrial action), it won’t be easy on the workers financially. But the consequences to lie down and be walked on would be even worse.”
A Visy spokesman said it was the company’s policy to communicate directly with the employees, and not make public comments through the media.