Meatworkers win $1m in back pay http://www.theage.com.au/news/state/2001/05/31/FFX6CHOGCNC.html By PAUL ROBINSON WORKPLACE EDITOR Thursday 31 May 2001 More than 30 Pakenham meatworkers who endured one of the longest lock-outs in Australia's industrial history are set to receive up to $1 million in back pay. The Federal Court has ruled that G.and K. O'Connor Pty Ltd, which locked more than 300 workers out of its meatworks between March and November, 1999, had been significantly underpaying workers when they returned to work. Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union secretary Graham Bird said yesterday the decision was a victory for meatworkers and others who had been forced to defend their award conditions. "There are many families whose livelihoods have been depending on this decision and they will hopefully finally see some financial relief after two years of hardship and intimidation imposed on them by their employer," he said. Only 80 workers returned after the lock-out, called over a dispute about pay and conditions. O'Connors told them they would be re-employed under the Federal Meat Industry Processing Award instead of the expired 1992 enterprise agreement. Under that agreement, the most highly skilled meatworkers, boners, would have received about $950 a week. Under the federal "safety net" award offered by O'Connor the same boners got about $425 a week. The court ruled that the 1992 agreement must apply to the locked-out workers. But company spokesman Matt O'Connor questioned the union's version of the court's decision, saying it was "a very complex document that covers a wide range of things". He said the company was "considering all our options". -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
