Victory for Viking workers

By Nick Markin and Andrew Gianniotis

SYDNEY -- Employees at the Viking Office Products warehouse in Rydalmere have scored a victory after two days on strike. Members of the National Union of Workers voted on February 25 for an indefinite stoppage after management continued to push for federal award coverage and refused to negotiate a log of claims served on February 14.

The strike decision was a sign of the anger felt by NUW members -- about 60% of the warehouse work force. The unionists established a picket line to block all orders and stock deliveries in and out. Nearly every truck bringing goods turned away. Couriers from Comet, who are unionised, also respected the picket line.

The management of Allied Express, however, whose couriers are non-unionised subcontractors, repeatedly threatened the picketers with common law action. Standing their ground, the strikers joked that they had no money even if action was taken against them. Police eventually forced the strikers out of the way.

Banners and placards on the picket line declared ``company profits = workers' poverty'' and ``work hard, get done''. The picketers' spirits were lifted by the support of many truck drivers who refused to cross the picket line and solidarity visits by members of the Democratic Socialist Party and the United Secondary Students Union.

When the dispute went to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission on February 26, management agreed to the workers' demand that all NUW members be offered employment at the new North Rocks warehouse and be covered by the state award (a decision confirmed the following day by the federal IRC).

Other demands, including a 30% wage and allowance increase and equalisation of rates of pay for each classification, will be discussed under the negotiation process established by the IRC ruling. ` hp x

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