BY SUE BOLTON
MELBOURNE — Workers from OneSteel subsidiary Martin Bright Steels have been on strike since July 4. The Martin Bright dispute is part of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union's Campaign 2003.
There are 80 workers on the site, with 15 being members of the Australian Workers Union, one in the Electrical Trades Union and the rest in the AMWU. All of the workers are participating in the strike.
After the workers' enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) expired on March 31, the company refused to consider the workers' demands for a 36-hour week, protection of entitlements such as long service leave in the event of the company going bust, and a 13% wage rise over three years.
The key issue which the workers are concerned about is the company's refusal to consolidate all of their conditions from their previous enterprise bargaining agreements into the EBA which is currently up for negotiation. The workers fear that the company might try to remove their nine-day fortnight from the EBA.
One problem the union faces is that the other OneSteel sites around Australia are part not involved in enterprise bargaining negotiations at the moment and cannot legally take industrial action to help the Martin Bright workers out.
Martin Bright Steels is the only factory in Australia which makes cold finished bright steel bars and hard chromium plated bars. The bright steel bars are silky smooth for use in hydraulic machines or in car engines. After OneSteel bought Martin Bright Steels about 18 months ago, it launched an attack on working conditions by trying to restrict custom and practice (claiming that any conditions not in the EBA could be abolished).
In 2002, the company went on a cost cutting drive and reduced the workforce by 40 workers, or 30%. In the restructure, Martin Bright Steels attempted to get rid of the older and more experienced workers.
AMWU organiser Chris Spindler told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly that "Martin Bright is known as a site that's always willing to campaign and fight for their rights. For example, they had 19 different actions and stoppages to gain an improved heat agreement. That shows that they don't let issues go. They keep on fighting until they get there. They've got a good reputation as a strong militant site. In 1997 they had a six-week strike for an EBA, and in 1992 they had a big dispute to win the nine-day fortnight."
The workers at Martin Bright welcome visitors to the picket line at Cliffords Road, Somerton. For information ring Chris Spindler on 0425 784 819 or AMWU delegate Graham Baker on 0425 820 293.
From 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly, July 30, 2003.
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