Page 15 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

support. The locked-out members have also received considerable “in- kind” support from members of the Echuca community, including local businesses.
The stand taken by Parmalat Echuca union members is not only critical
for them but also demonstrates that Australian union members have
the strength and support to stand up and resist aggressive attacks on employment conditions from the largest of corporations.
site. This application was lodged with the commission only five weeks after the agreement’s nominal expiry date.
The worst case scenario
If the Fair Work Commission approves this application, Parmalat Echuca employees will lose between $10 and $20 an hour in wages for ordinary time work. This amounts
to a reduction for each employee
of between $400 and $800 a week. As well, reductions in shift penalty loadings will result in a further loss of between 5% and 15% in wages.
Workers would also face reduced overtime penalty rates and their long service leave accrual rate would be 30% less. They would have massive reductions in redundancy pay entitlements. Employees currently entitled to more than $100,000 in redundancy pay would have this entitlement reduced to as little as $10,000.
Parmalat has told the Fair Work Commission that it is in the public interest that the commission terminate the existing Echuca site agreement.
Who do you support?
Adam Pankhurst is married. He has a four-year-old son, an 18-month- old daughter and a mortgage on
the family home in Echuca. Many workers at Parmalat have similar backgrounds.
Forbes business magazine estimates that Emmanuel Besnier, the chief executive officer of Lactalis, has a personal worth of $6.7 billion, and
in 2015 Parmalat Australia’s sales revenue was $1.65 billion.
We believe it is ridiculous that Parmalat can suggest that it is in the public interest that the wages and employment conditions of Adam and his workmates should be massively reduced.
BREAKING:
Parmalat dispute settled. Members retain all conditions, plus improvements
On 20 March members of the ETU and AMWU at Parmalat Echuca endorsed the terms of a new site agreement that had been negotiated by the company and unions. This new enterprise agreement achieves the important objective of maintaining all site employment conditions as well as improved union rights and three wage increases over the life of the Agreement.
As a result of union members’ endorsement of the agreement Parmalat will lift the two- month lockout and will drop its application in the Fair Work Commission to terminate the existing Echuca site agreement.
Why is Adam locked out?
When Adam Pankhurst, a 28-year- old ETU shop steward at Parmalat Echuca, arrived at work he was confronted with this big, bright red lock that his employer had lashed around the employee entrance turnstile. Parmalat had indefinitely locked out Adam and more than 60 of his workmates at the Echuca dairy desserts manufacturing site.
Why has Parmalat locked out Parmalat workers?
In July 2016 Parmalat, which is owned by Lactalis, the largest dairy manufacturing company in the world, presented the ETU and AMWU with an enterprise agreement log of claims that represented a major attack on the wage rates and employment conditions that applied at the Echuca site.
In early October 2016, Parmalat lodged an application with the Fair Work Commission to terminate the existing EBA that covers the Echuca
Tom Hale of the AMWU gives Parmalat Echuca union members a report on negotiations with the company.
Two Union members and an interested family member listening to the report on the Parmalat lock out and enterprise agreement negotiations.
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THE ETU > AUTUMN 2017
15
WORKERS WIN OUT!