A group of striking manufacturing workers in Melbourne’s west have declared victory. The workers, members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, ended their nine-week strike on 9 June. They had been maintaining a 24-hour picket outside the gates of the Sunshine factory of commercial cooling manufacturer Bitzer. 

Joey (not his real name), an AMWU delegate, told Red Flag that they won all of their demands, including a 36-hour week for all workers, two rostered days off per month and the protection of existing carer’s leave, redundancy and income protection entitlements, which the company had wanted to slash. Significantly, they forced the company to back down on plans to introduce a two-tier wage structure. The new agreement will provide for three annual pay rises: 4 percent, 3 percent and 3 percent. 

Despite the length of the strike, Joey said they were ready to stay out longer if needed. “We started saving three months before the EBA expired”, he said of their preparations.

The final sticking point was a company proposal for split shifts. But the workers refused to concede:

“They said we could have everything but we still had to have the different shift start times. We said no. Then they said half of us could start at 7am but the other half would have to start at 6am for the next three months to give the company time to adjust. But we voted no to that as well.

“We said we’d stay out for the next three months until they were ready. So on Thursday we all walked in together at 7am.”

Joey sent a message of thanks to everyone who visited their picket. His advice to others is simple: “Be prepared. Stick together the whole time and you’ll be alright – the bosses eventually have to cave”.