James Hardie attacks workers' rights, again

On March 5, maintenance department workers employed at James Hardie Ltd's Rosehill site took protected industrial action for 24 hours. They were supported by activists from Worker Solidarity, who organised a community picket on the day

The workers, members of the Electrical Trades Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, are campaigning for a renewal of a joint union collective agreement that will preserve current working conditions, increase allowances and grant a 4% wage rise to cover cost of living increases.

The company is attempting to remove workers' shift penalty as a percentage of wages and instead pay a flat dollar amount, which would result in a 5% loss in take-home pay. It also wants to withdraw the workers' uniform laundry service. This is despite a union safety inspection last November resulting in the site being shut down for two weeks due to asbestos contamination.

The company has tried to intimidate the workers, threatening them just before their secret ballot regarding industrial action that if they decided to strike they would lose a whole day's pay for a four-hour strike, a week's pay for a 24-hour strike and a month's pay for a week-long strike.

From GLW issue 701