Warehouse workers fight casualisation

By Gail Lord

SYDNEY -- Members of the National Union of Workers (NUW) have been on strike for over a week to stop attempts by Davids Ltd to increase casualisation and working hours for its warehouse staff.

Davids is Australia's largest wholesale grocery distributor. It has recently been taken over by the South African multinational Metro. The NUW has been trying to secure a new enterprise agreement with Davids for eight months.

Davids wants to increase normal working hours from 36 to 38 per week, increase the spread of normal working hours, remove a 12.5% early morning shift allowance, increase the number of casuals employed, and establish a draconian time and motion system. After two weeks of rolling stoppages, the NUW members decided to strike.

There have been concerted attempts by both the company and the NSW police to break the strike. Picket lines have been violently attacked by large numbers of police and drivers have been threatened with fines if they do not cross the picket line. Company lawyers have threatened legal action against the police service if it fails to enforce a court order to allow trucks to enter. The police on site have frequently outnumbered the picketers by two to one.

Davids has also served injunctions on union delegates and officials, who appeared in the Supreme Court on July 17.

Tired of the police presence, workers and supporters marched early on the morning of July 17 to meet the bus containing scab labour. A few hours later the march continued to the Blacktown Police Station to draw attention to the continuing dispute. A family and supporters' day was held on July 18.

Readers are encouraged to visit and support the 24-hour picket line at 37 Bessemer Street, Blacktown (off Sunnyholt Road).

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