Workers employed casually for up to 15 years at a lighting manufacturer in Melbourne have been made permanent under a deal struck between the AMWU and their employer.

Since joining the AMWU twelve months ago workers from Eagle Lighting in Tullamarine have won a number of reforms and are now on their way towards their first union collective agreement.    

“We came across these workers one day visiting a neighbouring site. Initially there was some hesitation about joining. They feared they would be sacked or reprimanded, as previous workers had been during WorkChoices,” said AMWU Growth Unit Coordinator Paul Chirgwin.  

“But they also had a lot of outstanding issues with their management. They were ready to take some action and the membership has grown from there.”

A reclassification exercise run by the AMWU found a number of the workers were being significantly underpaid. Back payments, some dating as far as six years were made by the company and a new pay scale was introduced.

Site delegate Sharon Malone says after years of second-class treatment the workers, who make industrial lights for the building industry, are relieved change is afoot.  

“Now we’re starting to stand up for ourselves. Eventually we’ll get everything we’ve been asking for. It’ll be a long time coming but we’ll get there.  

“It took convincing for some of us to join. I never believed in unions and had never been in one.

“But then I thought, I’ve put up with enough for 22 years, it’s time to do something about it. So I joined and it’s proved to be a really good thing.”

Although the workers have made significant improvements on their conditions, according to Paul Chirgwin there is more to come.

“We are about to begin negotiating an agreement and we want to ensure the workers no longer have their hours arbitrarily changed on them.

“They (the workers) have found their voice, they’re starting to recognise their rights and see that a better deal is possible.”  

This employer will see the light.  Hes got a union in the place now.   

I care.   

Why would you care about the rules of the boards, just keep up your spamming and multi threads.   Thanks for that.  I will.   

boo hoo for you verge. I'm the union delegate at my work and I might take this little snippet and put it in the tea room, so I am interested and if you're not, you know what they say.....tough titties!

....and how sad is your life when you purposely go into a thread knowing you won't like what you'll read, then have a whinge about it.

The way I see it is this.  No one forces anyone to partake to a thread if they don't want to.  Its like a TV set.  You get x-number of channels also  an on/off switch.  Its the same in a way with a computer.  Partake if you want/ don't partake if you don't want.  Or switch off.   

yes your employer sees the LIGHT for

his secret squirrels are running and telling that dark one

of said LIGHT when i do and continue to

confront the beast,in LOVE and LIGHT

and so it is

namaste

-:)