The month long dispute at Preston Motors is over. A breakthrought came on April 13 and NUW workers voted to return to work.

Lessons learnt
Yet again another employer has been forced to negotiate with the relevent union in dispute through community assemblies and wider support. Congratulation to the workers at Preston Motors who stuck together and were successful in achieving a much improved union EBA (Enterprise Bargaing Agreement). more. | NUW statement

Labels: Community Assemblies, Preston Motors, strikes

Community Assembly Shuts Deliveries
Coles Myer Distribution Centre
Union Rd, Somerton
(Melway 180 C9)

Download support leaflet

An unlucy day for Coles Myer on Friday 13 April at their distribution centre in Sommerton. A community assembly successfully stopped all deliveries in and out. The centre's deliveries were stopped from 6am until 10am.

Metal construction workers at the Coles Myer Distribution Centre in Somerton are currently staging a community protest for the right to work under the correct award. The workers were forced onto AWA's and have now resigned. Help them fight to get their jobs back under award conditions.

They are being ripped off. Furthermore and more importantly workers on site have also been disrespected and discriminated against, and health and safety has been appalling. Workers raising legitimate health and safety issues have been relocated and even dismissed.

Coles Myer, Schaefer and Busicom Solutions are seeking to take full advantage of the Howard Governments IR laws to undermine conditions that workers have fought for and achieved.

Some of the conditions lost
Less than $18.00 per hour as Casuals

• Less than the Australian Fair Pay Commission Standards
• No annual leave, sick or personal leave, long service leave compassionate leave or redundancy.

Ripped off on overtime payments

• First 3 hours – 1.4 times instead of time and a half
• After 3 hours – 1.8 times compared to the standard double time
• Sundays – 1.8 times not double time
• Public Holidays – 1.4 times not 2.5 times

Download support leaflet

Picket report Wednesday 11 April.

Overall a quiet day on the picket, management seems to have given up on trying to move anything through the picket expect for one incident with a confused truck driver. There was also a lack of the usual mouthing off by some of the security staff and sales reps. Signs, perhaps, that management has accepted the picket as a fact.

Word came down to the picket that Preston Motors approached the union and were seeking to start negotiating. There is no indication as this stage of how serious Preston Motors are to resolve the issue. Further updates to come…

Not much moving at Preston Motors


Clear Out Sale, not clearing much out

Labels: Community Assemblies, Preston Motors, strikes

Preston Motors
1551 Sydney Rd
Campbellfield
[Melways: F7, map 7]

Another successful community assembly took place this morning outside Preston Motors in Campbellfield (Thurs 5 April) as the company still refuses to negotiate with the union in good faith, management have even knocked back an offer by the AIRC (Australian Industrial Relations Commission) to intervene...more

More Support Needed
NUW Workers are entering into their fourth week in dispute over an EBA increase. They desperately require your support after Easter. While the community assemblies have been successful workers on the picket at night have reported being harassed. Bottles were thrown from passing cars and one picketer's car was damaged. We can only speculate whether Preston Motors is or is not behind this violence. A more substantial 24 hours presence will be in place starting from Tuesday 7am, April 10th. We are asking supporters to make themselves available for 2-4 hour shifts on the picket.

Desperate Move
In a desperate move today Preston Motors cut through their own electric fence to move parts via an access road along the Upfield railway line. Eyewitnesses report seeing a convoy exitting the yard swinging onto the narrow and rough unsealed road adjancent the Upfield rail line. Their is no traffic barrier between the track and the railway cutting and one of the trucks nearly tipped over close to the edge of the cutting, this poses a huge safety concern as suburban trains travel in both directions along the single line. Preston Motor's actions could have resulted in either the cancellation of train services or a serious accident. Pictures

Union members in rail were informed and train company Connex reportedly rang Preston Motors warning of legal action if vehicles moved along the road again.

Due to the safety issues involved Workcover are investigating the incident and have issued an order preventing Preston Motors using the route again. The Hume council are also looking into the incident.

Workers can win
Maybe today's action by Preston Motors is a sign that they are close to sitting down and negotiating with the union. One last roll of the dice before accepting the inevitable. Whether the workers can win will depend on how much support they received on the picket next week. Get Involved!

The Preston Motors Group has a range of dealerships throughout Melbourne.
Preston Motors Group Dealerships

Labels: Community Assemblies, Preston Motors