United Voice News
Major increase in redundancy pay won following two week strike
Paint workers are celebrating after winning major increases to redundancy pay following a two week strike at a paint factory in Sunshine.
Jubilant paint workers at Dutch multinational Akzo Nobel returned to work yesterday after endorsing a deal which provides up to 95 weeks in redundancy pay, an increase from the current 16 weeks.
LHMU Paint Union Assistant State Secretary Ben Redford said the strike was entirely avoidable.
“We could have resolved this dispute two weeks ago if Akzo Nobel had been prepared back then to sit down, negotiate and treat its workforce with the respect they deserve.”
“These workers are pleased that they will now receive some real acknowledgement for their years of dedication and hard work for this company.”
“Akzo Nobel has gained nothing from its confrontational approach besides two weeks of lost production.”
“Despite making a billion dollars in profits last year, this company wanted to freeze wages. They failed.”
“They also tried to increase the number of hours in the working week. On that, they failed as well.”
The family-friendly 35-hour week was won in the 1980s by Australian paint workers. In recent years employers have made repeated attempts to claw back this condition and failed on each occasion.
“Our members hope their employer has learned that trying to bully their workers is a futile exercise.”
The two-year agreement includes a seven percent pay increase for Akzo Nobel’s Sunshine employees.
Under the new redundancy provisions workers will now receive four weeks per year for the first seven years of service and three and half weeks pay for workers who have served between seven and 25 years at the company.
Workers will also now receive eight weeks notice in the event that they are made redundant.
