ACI Lockout Enters Fifth Month

Date: 27 March 2000

Workers at the ACI Mould Manufacturing Plant in Box Hill, have received another Lock Out notice extending the ongoing Lock Out now to 27th May.

The 83 workers were Locked Out of their workplace on the 16th December 1999, one week prior to Christmas and will now also have an unpleasant Easter to look forward to.

Management from ACI, Locked Out the workers after Enterprise Bargaining Negotiations broke down on the 15 December, when the Australian Manufacturing
Worker Union members voted not to accept, what they believed would be an erosion to their working conditions.

Management claim the Lock Out is in direct response to some minor bans and limitations placed on the company by the Union members, yet fail to concede that the same managers rejected an offer by the union to lift these limitations.

The 83 workers and their families have faced continual uncertainty as this latest Lock Out notice comes as the 6th In an ongoing string of monthly Lock Out date revisions.

Some of the workers believe management keep Stone walling the Negotiations for some underlying agenda, in that what the workers are asking for are minor word changes to the management's proposal.

"This isn't about a 36 hour week or 24% pay claims, this is about retaining working conditions and standing up to militant managerial pressure", said one locked out worker

"ours are mainly counter claims to their ( ACI management) imposing changes to conditions, with little or no compensation."

It is believed ACI are prepared to lose many $$millions in an attempt to financially and emotionally coerce their workforce into submission.

Although ACI management have continually tried some astonishing tactics such as solicitor letters and court hearings, all of the workers and their families are prepared for a long battle.

For further information

Contact:	Brian Borg
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Phone:	0412044700
WWW:	http://workers.labor.net.au/

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