Sue Bolton
The Western Australian branch of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union is organising a solidarity protest in Perth on September 28, when 40 metalworkers first face the federal court to fight fines of up to $28,600 each. The AMWU is being sued for $110,000 plus unspecified damages.
The metalworkers are being sued for questioning their employer, Kwinana-based company Total Corrosion Control (TCC), after it failed to honour a memorandum of understanding on wages. This is a landmark case — the first instance of this section of the Howard government's new industrial relations laws being used by an employer against workers.
In a cruel twist to the TCC's declaration of war on its workers, the company is demanding that any money the workers are forced to pay in fines and damages be paid straight into the TCC's coffers.
AMWU state secretary Jock Ferguson said, "This litigation has the potential to destroy working families. One TCC employee being sued has a wife, five children, a mortgage and he is sponsoring another child in Africa. This is a committed family man, a member of the local community, and this ruthless callous action by TCC could cost him the family home.
"It is a demonstration that employers are prepared to use in a ruthless manner all of the resources the Howard government has handed to them to destroy workers' ability to collectively bargain."
Support the TCC 40 — join the solidarity protest on Thursday, September 28, 8am, The Esplanade, Perth.