 |
|
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
stui magpie 
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005
Location: In flagrante delicto
|
| Post subject: Ford stands down car workers |  |
|
Now, I saw this on the news and went looking on the net for more information because something didn't add up.
The AMWU has called a strike at a component manufacturer "venture" over entitlements. As a consequence, Ford has had to stand down over 1200 people cos they have no work for them and if the strike continues more than a week, Holden will probabl have to follow.
I looked at the AGE site, thinking a good left wing publication would have lots of detail. Bugger all. The AMWU website.......Nada.
So back to News.com.au.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22295138-2,00.html
| Quote: | MORE than 1200 Ford workers in Victoria are to be stood down indefinitely without pay from tonight as a new industrial dispute threatens to cripple Australia's car industry.
More than 240 workers at Venture Industries, a former Ford unit that supplies the car manufacturer with plastic components, walked off the job today in a row over unpaid entitlements.
Union leaders say Venture employees are owed $25 million in entitlements, after the company announced it would close its Broadmeadows factory and move to a new site on the other side of Melbourne.
Tonight, Ford said 800 assembly line workers based at Broadmeadows and 450 engine workers at its Geelong plant would be stood down from close of business today until the supply of Venture products resumed.
"This is a temporary action only and their jobs at Ford are not at risk. Other Ford employees will continue working," Ford spokeswoman Sinead McAlary said.
"We have indicated to both the union and Venture that we expect them to work to resolve this matter as soon as possible."
The 1250 workers affected by the dispute would be able to use their annual leave entitlements to cover any shortfalls from a loss of pay, Ms McAlary said.
The strike action would directly affect Ford's overall production, and could also have an impact on more than 200 other suppliers – most of them in Victoria – which provide components to the car manufacturer.
"Ford produces 350 cars a day. This means there will be no cars whatsoever being rolled out until the dispute is resolved."
Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) Victorian secretary Steve Dargavel said most of Venture's 242-strong workforce would be sacked without redundancy entitlements to cut costs.
The company had purchased another business, Venture DMG, based in Melbourne's southeast, where equipment and resources would be relocated.
Mr Dargavel blamed the problems on multi-national corporations seeking to capitalise on the Australian manufacturing industry but ultimately leaving it in ruins.
"This is a problem created by industry and the failure of the market," Mr Dargavel said.
"It's an increasing tendency of companies to try and pull these stunts under corporations law where they'll liquidate one entity and set up another entity and claim that they have no obligations to employees.
"We're concerned that Venture is playing games ... and are trying to put pressure on the car producers to give them some arrangements that they might otherwise not have and our members are being used as cannon fodder."
Victorian Premier John Brumby urged the parties to quickly resolve the issue, adding the threat of stand downs across the industry was unwelcome.
"We hope it's resolved, I hope it's resolved today. If it's resolved today then there is no threat in terms of stand downs in any other industries."
Comment was tonight still being sought from Venture.
|
Now, as I understand this, no one has lost their jobs or been refused entitlements. The union "believe" that "most of Venture's 242-strong workforce would be sacked without redundancy entitlements to cut costs"
I'm sorry, how the &*( can that happen? They can't be "sacked" if the site is closed without being paid retrenchment benefits unless the company is liquidated with no assetts 
The union says ""It's an increasing tendency of companies to try and pull these stunts under corporations law where they'll liquidate one entity and set up another entity and claim that they have no obligations to employees.".
Again, I'm sorry, but from what I know of the workplace relations act, that's bullshit. You can't do that.
The union says
"Union leaders say Venture employees are owed $25 million in entitlements, after the company announced it would close its Broadmeadows factory and move to a new site on the other side of Melbourne."
They're only owed that money if they lose their jobs. If they are offered other roles within reasonable travelling distance, then they're not retrenched. Travelling from Broadie to the sth eastern suburbs WOULD constitute unreasonable travel.
Either there is a lot more to this than meets the eye or my cycnical nature is coming to the fore when I think that the union has picked a soft target to flex their muscles on yet again trying to make a point about worklpace relations laws at the expense of the people who pat their wages. the members who will now be without pay.
Oh. Last point. On the TV footage, someone I assume was the union delegate was shouting to the troops thru a megaphone. One of the things he was telling them was that this was protected industrial action. Again, sorry but unless there is a few pieces not reported, that's Bullshit too and that guy will/should have his ass removed for lying to the workers.
_________________
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
|
|
|
 |
member34258
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
|
| Post subject: | |
|
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/strike-threat-to-ford-workers/2007/08/23/1187462387828.html
| Quote: | | employees of Venture Industries, a plastics manufacturer who supplies parts to Ford, went on strike today after failed negotiations over voluntary redundancies. |
| Quote: | | The company is targeting people (who have worked) 10 years and under, which is basically in breach of our agreements and we are in dispute in regards to that and as a result we've got the commissions approval for protected industrial action as what you see here today," Mr Mehmet told The Age. |
| Quote: | | Discussion have been going on for six months and as work continues to go out there's a clear perception from all the workers here that the company could go insolvent or pretty much people could be left with nothing," Mr Cummaudo said |
I think Ford is pretty happy to be able to stop production of their vehicles. Both the Falcon and the Territory are hardly setting the sales world on fire. A week or two of non-production will help clear their holding yards. |
|
|
|
|
stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005
Location: In flagrante delicto
|
| Post subject: | |
|
Thanks, I didn't see that article.
So it basically is a beat up. The company has the money for redundancies but is arguing with the union over who should be retrenched and who should stay employed.
The union doesn't get it's way so it convinces people to strike and distorts the facts.
_________________
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
|
|
|
|
member34258
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
|
| Post subject: | |
|
| stui magpie wrote: |
The union doesn't get it's way so it convinces people to strike and distorts the facts. |
I doubt if the union is isolated in this type of behavior.
All forms of power groups use the same tactics. |
|
|
|
|
stui magpie
Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
Joined: 03 May 2005
Location: In flagrante delicto
|
| Post subject: | |
|
regardless of whether others do it, i'll take that as an admission.
_________________
Every dead body on Mt Everest was once a highly motivated person, so maybe just calm the **** down. |
|
|
|
|
member34258
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
|
|
|
|
|
~Madness~ 
...The Cat...
Joined: 29 May 2001
Location: Melbourne, Vic, Au
|
| Post subject: | |
|
| stui magpie wrote: |
The union doesn't get it's way so it convinces people to strike and distorts the facts. |
That's exactly what happens in my industry. *jsmh*
_________________
"whaaa whaaaaaa! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum
|
|
The Rules
FAQ
Usergroups
Calendar
Search
Log in
Register
