Total victory at Finlay picket! : Melbourne Indymedia

The Finlay company has caved into the picket outside their Waterdale Rd, West Heidleburg plant in Melbourne and reinstated sacked workers Harra, Vince and Arjunta.

These workers were sacked two weeks ago after an incident of alleged 'smirking' by a worker at his boss. The boss explictly stated he felt more comfortable sacking these workers after the introduction of Work Choice.

Yesterday at 6am a snap and real picket line (in that it stopped trucks entering the site) was called by Union Solidarity with the help of many others including the Socialist Party. Over 300 people blocked the two entrances and drove the boss to defeat late last night.

This is a message to the ACTU and all workers - we don't have to wait until the next Federal election or for an expensive win in the High Court - we can win on the ground with unity and resolve.

This is the first serious setback for Howard's new IR laws.

Industrial action is the best way to deal with an industrial issue.

Simple isn't it!

Unless you're the ALP or ACTU whose biggest fear is winning a federal election on the back of a popular movement against the IR laws.

if all union members follow this fine example, we can take the fight to the bosses,just look what happened in france, the people, union power will win the class war against the workers.

If you are not in a union join one.
If you are in a union make sure it is organised to sign up new members and support workers in struggle.
If you are in dispute let other unionsists know about it to get solidarity.
If you are in the "community" you are still in the working class and can through union solidarity join up with other workers in your local area
eg West, North.
If you have some time and energy help establish union solidarity in your local area of Melbourne.
ON June 28th there's another big day out again starting from Trades Hall
bring your family, your friends, your workmates and be prepared to have a smile on your lips and a song in your heart...join in the choruses, show your home made signs, banners, costumes, play your own music, let's dance & make this a festivity of the oppressed and FUN too.
We can win, we will win.

Of course, better informed readers will know that picket lines are not always the best way foward. Soemtimes, yes. Other times, no.

These workers will return to work tomorrow morning, after union-brokered negotiations led to his reinstatement.

Harry Rai, 49, was sacked from his job as a machinist at Finlay Engineering in Heidelberg West on April 4 after company owner Jim Sutton took issue with his facial expression following a workplace meeting.

Australian Manufacturing Workers Union Victorian President Chris Spindler said he met last night with the company and a deal was reached to reinstate all three men.

"Me and the management (sic) caught up last night as a way to break the deadlock . . . they agreed to put the blokes on and I agreed to be involved in the workshop on an ongoing basis to help communication and consultation and smooth over any of the dramas that people have,'' he said.

Mr Spindler said the men were overjoyed at being able to return to work.

"They're rapt. That's what they wanted, they wanted their jobs back _ there wasn't any interest in doing deals over money or anything like that, they just wanted to go back to work and they're happy,'' he said.

"We're all going to make the effort in the same direction and that is helping Finlays survive and perform like a normal company,'' Mr Spindler said.

Finlay Engineering owner Jim Sutton said this morning that the men would start work at 7am tomorrow.

"They're going back to do the same jobs on the same conditions, the same wages, as they were before,'' he said.

"Hopefully . . . we're over this charade or whatever you like to call it and everything's back to normal . . . there's been no favours on either side. We've decided it was just a silly situation and we've resolved it,'' he said.

Mr Sutton said last month that the Howard Government's industrial relations reforms had given him greater control over his workforce, and "up until these new industrial laws, it was very hard to take any action against anyone''.

But today Mr Sutton denied the sackings had anything to do with the controversial reforms.

"I never boasted . . . it wasn't an issue to do with the new IR laws. It would have happened whether the new IR laws were in or not,'' he said.

Mr Sutton said the episode had taught him the importance of open communication with his workers.

"I think we've learnt that any problem you have, there must be a lot more discussion, a lot more talk between both parties. If you can resolve these problems before they get to the stage that ours got, then you've got a lot more chance of having a peaceful workforce,'' he said.

Last night's negotiations came after activist group Union Solidarity staged a picket line at the Heidelberg West factory.

A statement from the Union Solidarity group said 300 people blocked entrances to the company and stopped trucks from entering.

As always, I stand proud to bring balance to the tilted scales of hyperbole and rant so often associated with the doofers who write here.

IO

In the above comment Informed One claims

"A statement from the Union Solidarity group said 300 people blocked entrances to the company and stopped trucks from entering."

Union Solidarity never issued such a statement. An article on our website originally said:

"Over 300 people blocked the two entrances and drove the boss to defeat late last night."

To my knowledge Union Solidarity doesn't issue statements. We simply get involved in struggles and run articles on our website. Articles on our site, like Indymedia, come from a wide variety of sources they do not necessarily reflect a Union Solidarity position or anything as grand as a "statement".

Much of the original article came from the Social Party press release, why not it was a concise report. As more sources became available the article changed. It will probably change tomorrow as more information becomes available, that's the beauty of the web.

Web team Union Solidarity.

Just in case you didn't the timeline rights from the Age article you quoted - Finley engeineering only began negotiating with the AMWU after the union solidarity picket had been in place since 6am that morning -

So over 12 hours of a solid and pretty large picket (there was over 80 when i got there at 6.30am) finally prompted the boss to meet with union and reinstated the workers. It was the direct action of ordinary people that got the job done. Can it be more clear?

Really informed one...