The 49 locked out workers from Eliott group's MEC Engineering continue to maintain a six-month "protest embassy" to fight for their jobs and entitlements back.
MEC locked out workers on September 13, 2006 in response to a campaign of minor industrial action such as banning overtime. The workers voted for this action to oppose MEC's push for a new enterprise agreement that would take away a number of important conditions from workers, including salary continuance or income protection.

Eliott group appointed an administrator who threatened to take the assets from the shelf company which was the legal employer of the workers. The administrator offered individual workers Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs), without the full details of their content. When the workers refused to sign, Eliott declared the workers "self-terminated" and began prodeedings.

MEC is asking workers to rejoin the company on AWAs that will be far below their previous conditions. Entitlements being offered to terminated workers do not even match what they were entitled to under their old agreement, and the AMWU is planning a legal challenge to this. (Even the government watchdog is investigating the maze of shelf companies set up by Eliott Engineering in case there's something legally dodgy as well).

While management have attempted to recruit scabs during the lockout, using various names, this has generally been quite unsuccessful, as other workers in the area support the struggle. However, some scabs still cross the line and on a number of occasions recently have come close to injuring protesters while driving through the protest. Supporters are encouraged to visit, donate to the workers' funds, and show their support at the Yallourn power station, off Old Yallourn North Rd (follow the signs to MEC).

more info: Yallourn Workshop Embassy News | Donation Request Form | Media Release | http://gippslandtlc.com.au/