Printers beat Murdoch

By Jenny Long

SYDNEY -- Printing workers at Rupert Murdoch's News Limited voted to return to work on July 17 after defeating company attempts to impose significant and retrograde changes in working conditions in a new production plant at Chullora, south-west of here. The workers, members of the Printing and Kindred Industries Union (PKIU), were on strike for nine days, during which picket lines were maintained.

Under the proposed new arrangements demanded by News Limited, the company would have run the overtime rosters, replacing workers on overtime with casual workers; used staff members in the machine room (so that they could replace workers during a strike); and limited the role of the traditionally militant PKIU.

In addition to retaining their existing conditions, the union was able to raise a number of other issues associated with the new plant. These include the use by the company of video cameras in the workplace and the lack of public transport to the isolated plant; these will be looked at by a joint committee of workers and management.

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