Coles food distribution centre workers strike over pay, job security
July 27
ABC News

The workers want 150 workers to be made full time.

About 650 workers at a Coles distribution centre in Melbourne's west have gone on an indefinite strike demanding more pay and better job security.   
Key points:

    Workers want $3 pay rise to $30 an hour
    Warehouse stores fresh produce, meat, dairy for Victoria, Tasmania
    Coles said millions of dollars worth of food could be spoiled

The workers at the Polar Fresh site in Truganina are calling for a $3 pay increase to $30 an hour.

The distribution centre stores cold items for Coles stores across the state and Tasmania, including dairy, meats and poultry.

The centre distributes fresh produce to Coles supermarkets in Victoria and Tasmania, but the grocery giant said it had made alternative arrangements to ensure the supply chain was not affected.

Curtly Tuala, from the National Union of Workers (NUW), said employees wanted greater job security.   

"We want a zero-casual site. We want a sense of security for the workers," he said.

"They deserve a sense of security because we know what it would enable the workers to do, looking after a family and your kids and providing for them."


Mr Tuala said employees who were casual felt constantly unsettled.

"It will give them the simple things in life like making a down payment on the house, simply things like taking their family to the movies, on holidays, those are luxuries that these members can't afford because of a sense of insecurity," he said.   

Coles said they had put alternative supply arrangements in place to ensure produce could still be delivered to its stores across Victoria.

However the company said in a statement that the NUW was engaging in "unlawful conduct" by picketing other sites set up by Coles to distribute the food.

"This is placing millions of dollars of fresh food grown and produced by Victorian farmers at risk of rotting and spoilage," the company said.

"Unlawful picketing of the contingency sites unrelated to the Polar Fresh dispute threatens to disrupt the distribution of fresh food for customers in Victoria and will harm other businesses unrelated to the negotiations."

The union is expected to meet with the company at the Fair Work Commission today.

    July 27 2016
    The Age

Court orders workers to stop picketing cold storage facility that supplies Coles

 

Workers picketing at a cold storage warehouse that supplies Coles have been ordered to stop by a Melbourne court.

More than 600 Polar Fresh workers are striking, as employees, who say they have struggled with insecure work for years, negotiate a new agreement.

Workers picket a cold storage warehouse that supplies Coles on Wednesday.

Coles and Polar Fresh on Tuesday applied for court orders against the National Union of Workers over picketing activity at a Truganina warehouse.

Polar Fresh runs the warehouse and supplies to Coles.


Paul O'Grady, acting for Coles, said workers holding union flags were linking arms and standing across the exit at the site to stop Coles trucks exiting.

But they were also stopping Coles trucks gaining access to other contingency sites set up so business operation could continue, he said.


Those sites were unrelated to the Polar Fresh dispute, the court heard.

"This is a specific targeting of Coles trucks," Mr O'Grady told the Victorian Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon.

"One can infer it is to apply pressure to Polar Fresh through Coles."

There was a risk fresh produce could be wasted, the court heard.

Justice Michael McDonald ordered the workers stop the picket action at the concerned sites by midday Thursday at the latest, and the matter will be revisited on Monday.

The union was not represented at the hearing as it was at a Fair Work Commission conference over the dispute, the court heard.

aquascoot wrote on Jul 28^th, 2016 at 8:25am:


The lack of job security.

Armchair_Politician wrote on Jul 28^th, 2016 at 8:49am:


In order to change the Fair Work Act 2009, so that it provides better job security for casual employees, it would have to go through parliament.

The last time I looked, parliament was filled with politicians.

Bam wrote on Jul 28^th, 2016 at 9:46am:



LOL

europe has very strict unfair dismissal laws and a strong principle of "job security"

It is currently unwinding this idea because it simply doesnt work.

If you want economic growth and employment, then the last thing you want is small business reluctant to take on a worker because the rules deem it to be almost a marriage leading to a painful divorce.

the more you casualise the work force, the more employers will hire and the better off everyone is.

Every other country recognises this fact.
Time the numptoids got on board with how an economy works or, as i like to say, time they came to grips with "reality".

the only security you have is being a good employee who brings value, in EXACTLY the same way the only security a business has is being good and bringing value.

You think blackberry management going on strike when apple brought out the I phone would have worked ??

aquascoot wrote on Jul 28^th, 2016 at 10:17am:


This may go down as the most inaccurate, ignorant post you have ever made.

A big call, considering your previous efforts, but I truly think you have outdone yourself with this one.

I suspect you don't even know what casual employment involves.

In fact, based on your comment, I can guarantee it.

Mr Hammer wrote on Jul 28^th, 2016 at 11:16am:


I'm all for reduced immigration, double plus good.

I think you've mistaken me for someone else.

Do you know what casual work involves?

If so, perhaps you could explain it to Mr Ed so that he understands how ridiculous his statement was.

Mr Hammer wrote on Jul 28^th, 2016 at 11:25am:


There are other ways to reduce immigration.

Now, what did you think of Mr Ed's statement about casual work?

Do you think he may have his head stuck up the arse of one of his nags?

Would you like to explain to him how casuals have no guaranteed hours of work per week?