Print workers strike over broken agreement

By Alex Bainbridge NEWCASTLE — Regular readers of the Newcastle Herald could not have helped but notice a number of technical hitches in the November 24 edition. These included larger than normal photos, an increase in "magazine" articles with less news, larger photos and at least one page that was not changed from the previous day bar the page number, date and a different cartoon. This was the first edition produced after journalists and photographers from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance decided not to cross printing workers' picket lines. Printing workers in the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) began their strike on the evening of November 22 over management's violations of an enterprise agreement. After calling for voluntary redundancies, management has attempted to replace several full-time workers with permanent casual employees. Despite it going against their enterprise agreement, workers conceded the increase in casual staff, however they were keen to set some limits in order to protect the conditions of both full-time and casual workers. Management refused the proposals and threatened to withdraw the redundancy packages of those who had planned to leave. Unionists are convinced this is the early stage of a management plan to casualise the work force. On November 24, clerks in the Australian Services Union also agreed to support the AMWU picket and walked off the job. According to the Herald workers, this is the first time that all three unions have struck together. Workers on the picket have been talking about the potential strength of a newspaper industry-wide union as opposed to three separate unions. While strikes by Herald workers are rare, this is also the first time in a while that a picket has been erected by striking Herald workers. Striking workers told Green Left Weekly that management had attempted to break their enterprise agreement a number of times over the past two years. As all sections of the work force have grievances all the unions decided to support the printing workers. As in other industries, management has been gradually moving a larger number of workers into "staff" positions in an effort to weaken the unions. Management is vowing to continue printing both the Newcastle Herald and the weekly Post. The case went to the Industrial Relations Commission on November 24.