Kurnell workers end strike
By David Mizon
SYDNEY — Striking Kurnell workers returned to work on May 19, having gained little in concrete conditions. Their seven-day strike forced Caltex management to negotiate, but the focus has now moved to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC).
Any disputes or negotiations that take place at Kurnell will now be heard in the AIRC, and Kurnell workers will be covered by a federal award. Outstanding matters of hours of work, wage rates, redundancies and compulsory membership in the refinery's front-line fire crew will be resolved in the AIRC.
The down side is that Kurnell workers return with five of their colleagues suspended on full pay, pending an investigation on a breach of safety regulations. Four of the five operators, including the senior delegate, were involved in the shutdown of the refinery during the strike. The fifth operator earlier had trumped up charges directed against him by the management, triggering the strike.
The most positive aspect of the strike was how the Kurnell workers organised themselves and the solidarity shown by other workers and unions. The workers established a command centre a couple of kilometres from the refinery which coordinated pickets at the refinery and at other Caltex sites. It also liaised with the media and other unions.