Solidarity action with 20 days locked out 500 Wooly's workers in NZ : Melbourne Indymedia

Between 4-6pm today, Wednesday September 13th; outside the Safeway / Big W entrance corner of Lonsdale and Swanston Streets City 20 unionists (Union Solidarity, CFMEU, MUA, IWW and community activists (Socialists of all sorts!) combined in solidarity with the NZ 20+ days locked out 500 workers.

ETU unionists marched down with flags and joined us at 5pm which was a great boost and they helped leaflet and talk to passers by.

Well done to all who showed up and distributed a thousand leaflets !

Below is the text of the leaflet distributed today.

This dispute is at a crutial stage and needs our support. If Woolworths get away with this anti union behavior in NZ they will be trying it on here next!

WOOLWORTHS - THE LOW PAY PEOPLE

Shame Woolworths Shame! - Support the locked out distribution workers in New Zealand!

Woolworths Australia own outlets such as Safeway and Big W. In New Zealand they own a company called Progressive Enterprises. Over 500 Progressive employees in Auckland, Palmerston North and Christchurch Distribution Centres have been locked out of their workplaces by Woolworths until they agree to abandon their claim for a national collective agreement.

Woolworths Australia is the largest retailer in Australasia and recently announced a 24.3% increase in profits of $1.2 billion dollars (A$1.1 billion) and expects sales to increase by 8-12% next year. New Zealand distribution workers earn around 35% less than their Australian co-workers despite food prices being generally lower in Australia. The CEO of Woolworths Australia, Roger Corbett, takes home an outrageous $A8.5 million a year. This is 340 times more than a full time checkout operator.

The lockout follows the indefinite suspension of workers after they commenced a 48 hour strike over two weeks ago. The workers are claiming a measly 8% wage increase and allowance parity between the four distribution centres.

Woolworths have decided to take on these workers in an attempt to keep their pay at poverty levels. Say no poverty wages in retail and distribution. Say no to greedy employers attacking our right to collectively bargain.

Support the locked out workers by not shopping at any Woolworths outlets.

Woolworths Australia own brands including Safeway, Food For Less, Dick Smith Electronics and PowerHouse, Tandy, Woolworths Liquor, BWS, First Estate, Dan Murphy’s, Plus Petrol, BIG W, Woolworths Ezy Banking, Woolworths HomeShop and GreenGrocer.

We are asking all customers to please consider not shopping at any of these outlets.

Also send a message to the Progressive Enterprises Managing Director, Marty Hamnett. Tell him you will not be shopping at places owned by Woolworths. marty.hamnett@progressive.co.nz

For more information about the campaign visit http://www.shelfrespect.org

http://www.unite.org.au

Comment:
Where is the SDA the official "union" which is reported to have ordered the workers back to work ? Why have they waited so long with all their resources and still not taken any solidarity action or raised and sent solidarity funds ? Will the National Union of Workers do the right thing instead ? So many questions come to mind like When and where is the solidarity in Sydney, Brisbane, etc. If these workers can win it will raise morale and fight back of other NZ workers and in turn protect us here who lets face it face cuts to our wages and condition by Howard's Bosses.

More reports & photographs to come.

A successful action was held in the Melbourne CBD yesterday in solidarity with the 500+ locked out distribution workers in New Zealand. The workers are employed by a company called Progressive Enterprises which is owned by Woolworths Australia.

They have been locked out until they drop their demand for a collective union agreement. They are fighting for decent pay rises and pay parity across three New Zealand distribution centers.

UNITE supports these demands and organised the action outside the QV centre, which is one of Melbourne’s busiest shopping centers. QV is home to both Big W and Safeway which are also owned by Woolworths.

UNITE was joined by members from several other unions and community groups, this included the ETU apprentice committee who closed their meeting to attend the action.

Delegations were also sent from other unions like the CWU, MUA and AMWU. Several other groups also participated including the IWW, YUN and several socialist groups.

During the two hour action over 2000 leaflets were distributed to shoppers and hundreds of names were collected on a petition of support. The city corner was also plastered with posters attacking Woolworths union busting activities.

UNITE was calling on shoppers to consider not shopping at Woolworths outlets whilst they are treating their workers in this way. Not that consumer boycotts can be a replacement for workers organisation and action, but actions like this can play a useful auxiliary role to industrial action.

UNITE supports the idea of direct solidarity action including solidarity strikes. Union activists in Australia will continue to keep the pressure on Woolworths by organising more actions of this character in the next period.

I'm sick of the strike go back to work i am a self employed truck driver who has had to lay off staff and have had no income since the strike i have no union to support or pay for my family u are only affecting the people who u need support from its wearing thin my husband had stuff thrown at him its not our war yet we are being more affected than the one's you are fighting take the 4% its more than most people get

Labour Start have on online email form which sends emails to dozens of people at Progressive Enterprises.

Apparently Woolworths have publicly stated (I haven't seen the item) that it will source its frozen vegetables from China into Australia. Tassie has a major economic dependence on its vegetable industry which has supplied major retil outlets across Australia for decades. Woolworths do not deserve consumer support and any boycott actions on other issues such as low wages, could easily flow into Tasmania. Tassie farmers have recently taken their 'sourcing' issues with other companies to Canberra. Wolworths protests should flow into Tasmania. The time is ripe.