Australian Textile Union Claim Win Over Godfrey Hi
Victoria, Australia, November 21, 2006—Hundreds of textile workers are claiming victory following a industrial commission ruling that they were not given an acceptable offer of employment when carpet company Godfrey Hirst moved to take over a smaller rival.
The Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) today welcomed the ruling by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) in a case initiated by the smaller rival, Feltex.
Victorian secretary of the TCFUA Michele O'Neil said the ruling meant Feltex staff would not have to sign Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) they were offered by Godfrey Hirst or lose their jobs without receiving a redundancy payout.
Ms O'Neil hailed the ruling handed down today as a victory for Feltex workers, saying: "I think this shows that it is a failed strategy to try and force workers onto AWAs.''
Today's decision came after Feltex, under control of receivers McGrathNicol, took Godfrey Hirst's offer of AWAs to the Commission seeking a ruling that they were acceptable alternative employment.
"On balance, weighing up all of the relevant matters ... I am not satisfied that the employment offered in the AWAs ... constitutes acceptable alternative employment,'' ruled senior deputy AIRC president Ian Watson.
Ms O'Neil said she hoped the company would see the error of its ways in trying to exploit the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws.
"The company has tried to exploit Work Choices,'' she said.
"If they now want to get on with making carpets they should stop trying to reduce workers' rights.''
She said about 320 textile workers at Feltex were affected by today's ruling, in a month-long dispute.
The TCFUA has taken separate legal action against Godfrey Hirst in the Federal Court claiming the carpet maker breached Freedom Of Association provisions in the Workplace Relations Act because Feltex workers were entitled to the benefit of their current union agreement.
