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Heinemann Electrics
Crn Springvale Rd & Faigh St
Mulgrave
[melway 80 A2: Between Wellington Rd & Princess Hwy]

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54 workers at Heinemann Electric in Mulgrave are on strike after management refused to pay for five days of work last month. The workers placed an overtime ban during an industrial campaign for a new EBA (enterprise bargaining agreement) and the company has retaliated by refusing to pay them.

The company claims they can do this because of a provision in Australian workplace law. The company has received legal advice from Freehills — a key architect of the Howard Government's new industrial relations legislation.

The overtime was a form of protected and legal industrial action sanctioned by the AIRC (Australian Industrial Relations Commission)

Management appear to be playing hardball and have proposed undermining the worker 38-hour week. They want an arrangement where staff would work an average 38-hour week over a month. Workers could be required to work 20 hours one week and 60 the next. South African company Circuit Breaker Industries took over Heinemann two years ago and has since received repeated warnings from WorkSafe for bullying workers…more
Source: The Age

More info: Dave Kerin 0412 484 094 | ACTU media release | background Age article

Labels: Heinemann, strikes