After the successful strike, 29 maintenance workers, all members of IndustriALL affiliate Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU), went back to work at Griffin Coal in Collie on 14 February, accompanied by an honour guard from the community and other trade union members.
During the struggle at Griffin Coal, owned by Indian multinational Lanco, workers have seen wage rates dropped by more than 43 per cent, and the value of accrued legal entitlements like annual leave and long service leave slashed in half. Workers have been forced onto anti-family rosters, working more hours for less pay.
Steve McCartney, AMWU WA secretary says:
This is a victory for the members, they’ve fought to restore their family friendly rosters and rescue their stolen entitlements. This dispute demonstrates that Australia’s workplace laws are critically broken, we need to throw out the Fair Work Act and demand a system that respects workers, respects families and can’t be used as a weapon by foreign multinationals.
Valter Sanches, General Secretary of IndustriALL said:
We congratulate Griffin Coal workers, their families and the union for standing up for their rights and taking the fight.