Festival Records picket continues

Festival Records picket continues

By Shane Bentley

SYDNEY — Picketers outside Festival Records have entered their sixth week on the picket line established by members of the National Union of Workers after Festival issued redundancy notices to 50 workers at its Pyrmont plant.

The picketers are demanding a better redundancy package. Management originally offered only two weeks' notice and two weeks' pay for each year worked, up to 10 years.

NUW members have blocked most products from entering or leaving the plant. The picket line has been respected by Transport Workers Union members and has won endorsement from the NSW Labour Council. Last week unionists at Ansett imposed work bans in solidarity (which have since been lifted).

It is understood that members of the gramophone and record section of the Australian Workers Union at Festival have been offered three weeks' notice and three weeks' pay for every year worked.

Management met with NUW members on June 18 and made a oral offer of only one week's extra pay for the 10th to the 20th year worked. This was rejected by the strikers.

The strikers need support and welcome all visitors to their picket line at Miller Street in Pyrmont.

From GLW issue 279