By Cimara Pearce
STAFF at Akzo Nobel paint factory are celebrating increases to wages and redundancy pay following a two week strike at the North Sunshine plant.
Workers returned to work last Tuesday after resolving the issues with management.
The multi-national company endorsed a deal with workers which will provide up to 95 weeks in redundancy pay and a pay increase of seven per cent over the next two years.
Workers are jubilant about the deal but are angered they had to strike for two weeks without pay to achieve it.
LHMU Paint Union Assistant State Secretary Ben Redford said the strike was entirely avoidable.
“We could have resolved this dispute two weeks ago if Akzo Nobel had been prepared back then to sit down, negotiate and treat its workforce with the respect they deserve,” he said.
“These workers are pleased that they will now receive some real acknowledgment for their years of dedication and hard work for this company.”
Sunshine factory operations manager Peter Black told Star he would not comment “on the specifics” but was glad the issue had been resolved.
“We have resolved the issue and the employees came back to work on Tuesday morning,” Mr Black said.
“We’re glad it’s been resolved and are happy to have them back.”
Under the new redundancy deal workers will now receive four weeks pay per year for the first seven years of service and three and half weeks pay per year for workers who have served between seven and 25 years at the company.
Workers will also now receive eight weeks notice in the event that they are made redundant.
