By Vanessa Chircop
AFTER almost six weeks locked out without pay, 140 cold storage workers at Swift Australia in Brooklyn have reached agreement with their employer.
A large contingent of unions and their members joined the National Union of Workers (NUW) picket last Tuesday.
Swift Australia, one of the largest meat processors in the world, locked out 140 of their workers after they refused a $14 a week pay rise in lieu of losing their entitlements.
NUW Victorian Secretary Tim Kennedy said Swift had backed down from its original offer.
“We’re happy to get a new deal after the company set out to crush their employees,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Swift locked out workers without pay for six weeks over Christmas and their failure to bargain in good faith with the union showed a blatant disrespect for their workers.”
Mr Kennedy said the original unfair offer threatened to strip away pay and conditions including penalty rates, overtime rates and would force workers to work up to or more than 12 hours in the cold storage area.
NUW Organiser Darren Stiles described the last six weeks as “hell”.
Mr Stiles told Star the new agreement will include six weeks backpay for the workers.
“Swift wanted to take away their entitlements with only a two per cent pay increase.
“I am relieved the members had a position to vote on – most of our arguments were trying to protect our entitlements and not so much about our percentage wage increase though that does help.”
With the Christmas period smack bang in the middle of the lockout some workers found it particularly difficult to make ends meet.
“Three people couldn’t pay for their rent and were going to be evicted on the day the agreement was finalised – for them especially it was a relief,” Mr Stiles said.
Star contacted Swift Director and Manager Corporate and Regulatory Affairs John Berry, but he failed to respond by deadline.
