Workers picket for redundancy entitlements

Graham Williams, Melbourne

Workers formerly employed at ABM Plastics have been picketing the plant since January 21 in an attempt to force company owner Abe Waisman to pay them $2.5 million in redundancy entitlements.

ABM Plastics went into receivership last November, leaving 110 employees battling administrator GE Finance, which wants them to complete the last month of work, but to accept only 20 cents in the dollar on their redundancy entitlements.

The workers are members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's printing division and of the National Union of Workers.

The picket was set up to stop printing company Amcor Fibre Packaging removing equipment it bought after ABM Plastics went into receivership last November. Workers are angry that Amcor was able to buy the machinery for $6.5 million when the equipment is worth $12 million.

"Amcor's bargain has come at the cost of the company not being able to pay out workers", said AMWU shop steward Jim Nowlan.

The workers are also disappointed that GE Finance backed out of an 11th-hour deal that would have sold ABM Plastics to a company keen to continue operations and retain more than half the work force.

Waisman — a multi-millionaire with three homes and two Porsches — is planning a new development, ABM Seal Pac, across the road from the ABM Plastics plant.

Some of the picketing workers had been employed at ABM Plastics for more than 25 years and are owed 18 months' worth of redundancy entitlements.

Word of the picket line has spread throughout the AMWU, with workers from Amcor, PMP, Visyboard, Colourpack and other companies collecting donations for the picketers and joining the picket.

The picket is located at ABM Plastics, 52-62 Tarnard Drive, Braeside.

From Green Left Weekly, February 16, 2005.

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From GLW issue 615