By Dave Mizon
MELBOURNE — Workers at Shell's Geelong refinery returned to work on May 5, having won the reinstatement of six colleagues. The settlement of the dispute also set in place a procedure requiring management to prove that a refinery job is "surplus to requirements" instead of just winding up the position and offering redundancy packages.
The dispute began when management announced that nine workers would be made redundant and, in a radical departure from 33 years' practice, nominated who would be sacked. Prior to this, refineries offered only voluntary redundancies. The nine maintenance workers, two of whom were shop stewards, were told by management that all they needed to know was that their sackings "are in the best interests of the company's continued profitability".
At stop-work meetings of all unions on site it was decided to put bans on maintenance and the running of the production unit until the nine were reinstated. In a bid to appease the workers, management reduced the number to be sacked from nine to six.
However, the workers maintained their bans, and production was down to 50%. The company then took the matter to the IRC in the hope that the commission would direct the unions to lift their bans.
Shell also attempted to introduce an appraisal scheme that would allow it to evaluate a worker's continued employment on attitude, aptitude and skill. However, the commission made no direction other than that the two parties continue to talk.
A mass meeting of all unions resolved to take strike action and shut the plant down, which was completed on May 1 despite harassment and threats by management.
On May 2 another mass meeting resolved that the strike should be indefinite until the six workers were reinstated and a procedure for investigating whether the redundancies were warranted was put in place. The organiser for the metalworkers made a strong case that no redundancy can be justified, and that redundancies usually mean the sacked worker is thrown on the scrap heap while those still in a job work harder.
On May 4 the company acceded to the workers demands and agreed to drop the application for the insertion of a bans clause in their award..
While the victory of workers is a welcome relief, the oil companies are still on the offensive against wages and conditions of workers. Their agenda revolves around 12-hour shifts, annualised salaries, abolition of the 35-hour week and mass redundancies.
The aim is to smash up shop floor structures, pit worker against worker, decrease safety standards and coopt union structures as an arm of management. The response of the ACTU and federal union leaderships has been muted, but on the shop floor the offensive is being taken very seriously. Solidarity between workers in different unions and at different sites is seen as one of the best ways to turn the tide in favour of the workers.
To this end, the Australian Refinery Operatives Committee was formed in early March not only to defend existing conditions but to campaign around increasing wages and jobs.
The stage is now set for a test of strength and resolve between oil bosses and unionists.