Melbourne, Australia, November 8, 2006--A Victorian union is taking carpet manufacturer Godfrey Hirst to court over a workplace agreement it claims exploits workers, according to The Age.
Lawyers for the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) Victoria Branch will appear in the Federal Court, in Melbourne, in a case against Godfrey Hirst and Feltex Carpets.
Godfrey Hirst is in the process of buying Feltex, which was recently placed into receivership.
TCFUA state secretary Michele O'Neil alleged Godfrey Hirst was forcing Feltex workers to choose between signing an Australian workplace agreement (AWA) that downgraded current rights, or losing their jobs and not receiving redundancy payments.
Ms O'Neil said Godfrey Hirst was attempting to remove a range of rights and conditions and weaken the long term collective bargaining power of workers.
"John Howard promised that workers' existing conditions would be protected by law for twelve months after a business is sold, yet here we have Godfrey Hirst giving workers an ultimatum to sign AWAs and give up their current rights and conditions or not have a job," Ms O'Neil said.
The Union will claim that Godfrey Hirst and Feltex Carpets have breached the Freedom of Association provisions in the Workplace Relations Act, and have acted unlawfully by refusing to employ Feltex workers because they are entitled to the benefit of their current union agreement.
"We're talking about long-serving employees here, some with over 30 years of service, who stand to lose entitlements accrued during that time," Ms O'Neil said.
"Workers right around Australia will be watching this case very closely as this will test whether workers have any protection under the Howard government's WorkChoice laws."
