The dispute at Australian Envelope in Notting Hill is over. Workers at the plant voted to return to work today after management agreed to a union settlement. In recent days management had been threatening the picketers with termination. Sources indicate that after federal union intervention management withdrew the threats of termination but the sacked delegate, the original issue of the dispute, will be retrenched.

Management’s behaviour during the dispute included:

• Using hired security personal from interstate to intimidate the picketers
• Driving a truck through a picket line risking serious injury to workers
• Damaging workers property with a forklift
• Using legal injunctions on the union and key individuals in an attempt to break the picket

Is this dispute a portent of life after Howard’s second wave of Industrial Relations?

Our thoughts go to the rank and file workers at Australian Envelope who stood up to intimidation for two weeks. They learnt valuable lessons about unity and solidarity during the dispute. They will need to retain that resolve on the shop floor.

Labels: Australian Envelope, strikes