News Release

COMMUNITY SUPPORTS LOCKED OUT MEAT WORKERS

13 March 2006

A group of workers who have been locked out of Teys Brothers meatworks at Naracoorte are holding a community barbecue to highlight their campaign for fair public holidays.

The workers have been barred from the abattoir by the Company, which is refusing to negotiate a new workplace agreement for the workers.

Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, State Secretary Graham Smith says other unions and the wider community are throwing their support behind the workers.
 

"All these workers are seeking is that the company sit down in a spirit of genuine negotiation and address their concerns about public holidays.  They want to be allowed to celebrate our Australia Day national holiday.

"However, the company has adopted a 'take it or leave it' attitude, demanding that workers sign these contracts or be locked out, without pay."

"These workers have families to support and mortgages to pay.  It is a low act for the company to hold families to ransom to enforce its demands."

"Community awareness is growing and we are seeing strong support from the community and other unions, with people donating money, food, clothes, toiletries and other essentials to keep these families going."

"We are staging a community barbecue on the Adelaide Cup Day public holiday to highlight the social and family importance of public holidays and to say thank you for the support the community is giving these workers".

The barbecue is being held in the Naracoorte Town Square from 12 noon.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles is attending the event in the union movement's brand new "Your Rights at Work" Van.

"We are bringing supporters down from Adelaide to demonstrate our support for these workers," Ms Giles says.

"Our new van is decked out with the "Your Rights at Work - Worth Fighting For" slogan.  It is an entirely appropriate message for these workers who are on the receiving end of some very shabby treatment from this company.  They will fight for their rights, and we will fight alongside them - and we won't stop until they get a fair deal", Ms Giles says.