AMWU members at the Colrain Wholesale Warehouse in Derrimut returned to work after successfully forcing their employer to terminate efforts to introduce Australian Workplace Agreements. Management agreed to the union demand to negotiate an EBA in good faith. Further the company will immediately introduce RDOs (Rostered Days Off), commit to preserving the industry award and provide safely footware.

There is an in-principle agreement to negotiate from 18 Jan 2006 around the following:

• Pay rises
• Income Protection
• Redundancy clause
• Career Path
• Mechanism to address prohibitive and unfair dismissals

The return to work settlement is a clear victory for the AWMU and proves that employers hoping to take advantage of Howard’s new IR law can be beaten. Rank and file workers at Colrain won because they remained united and maintained a 24-hour picket, got support from other workers and established links with the local community. 2006 is set to be a make or break year for the Australian union movement lets hope the successful struggle of the Colrain workers is a portent of the future.

Workers online article | Background to dispute

Labels: Colrain, strikes