Trane subsidiary defiant as dispute persists

AUSTRALIA: The strike at Dayson, an Australian operation of Trane, the world's third largest air-conditioning manufacturer and one of the principal businesses of American Standard Companies Inc., is now in its 12th week. Although workers at Dayson have chosen the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union to represent them, the company has refused to speak with the union, much less negotiate, and threatened to sign individual contracts. Moreover, management fired seven workers, all union members, including two union delegates, and refused to accept a recommendation by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, which has criticised the company over its conduct. In a letter to Frederic M. Poses, the chairman and CEO of American Standard Companies Inc., the IMF general secretary, Marcello Malentacchi, has demanded the "immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the fired workers and the resumption of negotiations with the union to resolve the outstanding issues," saying that Dayson's actions are extremely grave violations of internationally recognised labour rights. The IMF is urging its 207 affiliated organisations worldwide, representing 25 million metalworkers - many of whom are consumers of American Standard products, to take all possible measures to assist their AMWU colleagues at Dayson in Australia.