By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
VOLGREN management has denied its culture has changed for the worst as nearly 100 striking factory workers protested outside its Dandenong South factory today.
Workers at the bus manufacturer had stopped work all day as part of an ongoing pay dispute.
The workers claimed times were better under Grenda’s bus magnate Ken Grenda, who sold 75 per cent of the business to bus-making multinational Marcopolo in February.
Tony Kerr, Volgren’s general manager of sales and marketing, retorted that the company’s culture had not changed ‘‘one iota’’.
Mr Kerr said what had changed for the worst was the market.
‘‘The bus industry is having more difficult times. Governments aren’t spending the money they used to and there are significantly less buses being ordered than in the past five years.
‘‘In our market — with the strong Australian dollar — 40 per cent of buses are imported products.
‘‘The issue as to why the guys are taking this action is directly to do with the EBA. The company has been very fair and open with its offer for the next three years. Obviously the guys want more.
‘‘Whatever the workers are being offered in the current business environment is better than being offered nothing and losing their jobs.’’
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union vehicle division organiser Ashley Mayne said there was discontent among Volgren’s workforce since Brazilian-based bus manufacturer Marcopolo took over.
Grenda’s retains a 25 per cent share in the company. Grenda’s former chief executive Geoff Grenda was voted chairman of Volgren’s board in July.
Mr Mayne said about 90 of the factory’s 120 workers were on strike for the day, following two half-day actions involving an enterprise bargaining agreement dispute.
He said the workers’ grievances included the dropping of a $770 tools allowance and shaving their annual wage rises from 3 per cent to 2.75 to pay for superannuation increases.
