Email workers' victory a test case
By Sue Bolton
MELBOURNE — On ABC-TV's Lateline program on May 28, Metal Trades Industry Association spokesperson Bert Evans said the Martin Bright workers' victory here was an example of the weakness of the Howard government's industrial relations legislation. He called on the federal government to implement WA-style industrial relations legislation.
Martin Bright is a subsidiary of Email. Its workers struck for more than six weeks before returning to work on May 21 after winning an 11% pay rise, long service leave after 10 years and the formalising of some existing conditions in the enterprise bargaining agreement.
Despite Email's attempt to remove award conditions, such as the rostered day off, the workers maintained all their conditions and a closed shop. They also prevented the introduction of individual contracts.
The dispute was seen as a test case for Peter Reith's industrial relations legislation, with the company attempting to use the penal provisions of the act. However, workers simply ignored the writs against the unions and individuals and continued their picketing of the plant. As part of the settlement, the writs will not be enforced.
Over the course of the dispute, the strikers received a lot of solidarity. Six of the big metal construction sites contributed $27,000 to the strike fund, and when police attempted to break the picket, 70 extra picketers arrived within half an hour to block the police efforts.
Craig Johnston, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union organiser for Martin Bright, said, "The Martin Bright victory has created a benchmark". Email shop stewards have pledged to support any other Email workers at the 14 sites in Melbourne who take industrial action to win a similar agreement.
Johnston believes the Martin Bright workers won because "all the unions stuck together, and the rank and file and the officials stuck together. No-one broke ranks, and there was tremendous solidarity from other workers."