A lockout of 24 workers at Ausreo’s south-western Sydney factory is about to enter its third month. The company supplies concrete reinforcing products to the construction industry in three states. Workers at its Wetherill Park factory are demanding pay parity with their interstate colleagues. They have maintained a daily protest outside the factory gates since the lockout started.
Most of the employees are level-four machine operators earning $20 an hour. They have been trying to secure an hourly wage rate increase of $3 and improved redundancy provisions since their enterprise agreement expired in February. Ausreo has offered a 3 percent “Christmas bonus”, to be doled out at management’s discretion, and no change to wage rates.
AMWU workplace delegate Dennis spoke to Red Flag at a solidarity protest organised on 7 August, the 7th week of the lock out. “We asked for a fair go in our EA negotiations, but they’re not accepting this and have locked us out.
“All we are asking for is a fair deal. We noticed one of our companies in Melbourne is getting a better deal with better conditions, better with everything really. All we are asking for is something similar but they won’t give it to us.
“That’s why we are rallying here today – we have lots of unions out supporting us because we’ve been out for so long. Seven weeks is a long time.”
Adding to the daily protest numbers were contingents from the Transport Workers Union, The Fire Brigade Employees Union, the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association and the Australian Services Union.
“The plan is to stick together until we get what we want,” said Dennis. “The company has kept promising but has never delivered. About 30 of us have been locked out and the company has hired 30 to 40 casuals to take our jobs, which we believe they hope to make permanent.”
Addressing the rally, Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Services Union, said: “You are an inspiration to the rest of us; all of us are watching you everyday this dispute isn’t resolved, and I know you’ve got the guts to stick together and that teaches all of us the lesson of solidarity and about being strong. You all have our absolute respect and support.”
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For details on how to support the workers visit the “Stop the Ausreo Lockout” Facebook page.
