Coca-Cola's war-like stance

Date: 04 September 2001

COCA-COLA ADOPTS WAR-LIKE STANCE TOWARDS WORKERS; PLAYS ON JOB SECURITY FEARS

" The company has told our members they have to accept reduced conditions," Terry Breheny said.

" But with massive job losses in the manufacturing industry in this State, in recent months, the company is obviously playing on the fears of members worried about their jobs, worried about their family's security.

" Management's decision to attack the workers and their union is belligerent. They are trying to force our members out of the union and onto individual employment agreements," Terry Breheny said.

" The company has adopted a strategy of undermining job security at their two Victorian sites - Moorabbin and Clayton - at the same time as they are trying to slash away at the hard-won job rights of our members.

" Coca-Cola seems to have adopted a de-unionisation strategy by pushing to abolish all guarantees of workforce rights to consultation and guarantees that any workplace changes will only be done by agreement between the parties.

" Our members in Moorabbin and Clayton are concerned that the company has taken these retroactive steps.

Some of the key changes Coca-Cola is demanding include:

· Dispute settlements procedure removed;

· Consultative Committee removed;

· Commitment to optimum full-time employment removed;

· Work team decision making removed;

· Shift allowance paid on annual, long service, sick and public holidays removed;

· Skills development and training removed;

· Union right of entry removed;

· Carers leave slashed dramatically;

· Redundancy agreement slashed dramatically

LHMU members at these two sites have met and decided on a 24 hour stoppage from 10pm today.

Coca-Cola's application to slash away at their workers' rights will be heard tomorrow ( Wednesday September 5) at 10 am in Melbourne at the AIRC.

LHMU members will come in special buses to attend the Commission hearings en masse.

The LHMU proudly represents more than 150,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia.

For further information:

Terry Breheny, Victorian LHMU Assistant Secretary,

0425 755 902

or 9235 7754

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