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12 August, 2005ICEM news release No. 19/2003
I CEM, on behalf of three Australian affiliates, has demanded to Bridgestone officials in Japan that it intervene to halt the planned lockout by Australian managers of 580 union workers at a tyre manufacturing plant in Salisbury, Adelaide. Australian management announced a two-week lockout from 12 August to 27 August over a failure it says in enterprise bargaining.
"This threat by your company of such action, and to drastic cuts in workers' salaries and conditions we understand has been the background under which our affiliates have been trying to negotiate to resolve this matter," stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs in a letter dated 11 August to Shigeo Watanabe, Bridgestone's President and CEO.
"This (lockout) is clearly unacceptable behavior on the part of the Company. I request these threats be withdrawn, and that you intervene to create a constructive atmosphere for the resumption of negotiations with a view to resolving the matter."
The three ICEM affiliates - the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU), the Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) - have bargained in good faith under Australian Industrial Relations Commission directives.
But Bridgestone has insisted on profound changes to the labour agreement, which expired 20 June. The company is seeking no guarantees of future wage increases unless workers meet productivity targets, an increase in work hours and drastic reductions to long-practiced entitlements. Workers have twice voted down the cuts, the latest 1 August by 492-34.
"Bridgestone's proposed solution for plant survival is to reduce employee entitlements and conditions, reduce their earnings with no guaranteed cost-of-living adjustments for three years," said Boyd MacRae, shop steward and Vice President of LHMU.
"Bridgestone executives are pocketing over $2 million a year in salaries and bonuses while they expect tyre workers to accept a reduction in real wages and conditions," added Chris Field, assistant secretary of LHMU.
"This threat by your company of such action, and to drastic cuts in workers' salaries and conditions we understand has been the background under which our affiliates have been trying to negotiate to resolve this matter," stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs in a letter dated 11 August to Shigeo Watanabe, Bridgestone's President and CEO.
"This (lockout) is clearly unacceptable behavior on the part of the Company. I request these threats be withdrawn, and that you intervene to create a constructive atmosphere for the resumption of negotiations with a view to resolving the matter."
The three ICEM affiliates - the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU), the Communication, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU) and the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) - have bargained in good faith under Australian Industrial Relations Commission directives.
But Bridgestone has insisted on profound changes to the labour agreement, which expired 20 June. The company is seeking no guarantees of future wage increases unless workers meet productivity targets, an increase in work hours and drastic reductions to long-practiced entitlements. Workers have twice voted down the cuts, the latest 1 August by 492-34.
"Bridgestone's proposed solution for plant survival is to reduce employee entitlements and conditions, reduce their earnings with no guaranteed cost-of-living adjustments for three years," said Boyd MacRae, shop steward and Vice President of LHMU.
"Bridgestone executives are pocketing over $2 million a year in salaries and bonuses while they expect tyre workers to accept a reduction in real wages and conditions," added Chris Field, assistant secretary of LHMU.