Congratulations EPMU

Written By: - Date published: 8:19 am, May 8th, 2013 - 7 comments
Categories: capitalism, Unions, workers' rights - Tags:

The EPMU has won back millions of dollars of back-pay for workers at Tiwai point after taking a case at the employment authority.

The authority concluded that the comapny was required to pay 12 hours of leave for leave days rather than the eight they had been paying. The issue goes back two decades to the date the smelter company changed shifts from eight to twelve hour without also altering leave.

It’s another bloody good reason to be in a union and another reason that National is working so hard to smash workers’ collective action.

7 comments on “Congratulations EPMU ”

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  1. jcuknz 1
    8 May 2013 at 8:23 am

    Yes this is a good thing but will it be the final nail in the smelters coffin putting the workers on the dole?

    • aj 1.1
      8 May 2013 at 9:10 am

      Only 64 employees are unionised but the company is extending it to all shift workers affected

      • Daveo 1.1.1
        8 May 2013 at 9:29 am

        I understand more than 64 are unionised but only 64 listed as applicants in the case as the other unoin members weren’t affected. It’s true what you say though – the company didn’t think it would lose the case but it was worried people would join off the back of it so it offered to pay out everyone if the union won. This is a classic union-busting tactic. Now that the union’s won the company’s increased the cost of the decision by 500% so they can hardly cry poor about it. The union organiser explains it here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/8642466/Tiwai-loses-case

  2. Draco T Bastard 2
    8 May 2013 at 9:31 am

    The issue goes back two decades to the date the smelter company changed shifts from eight to twelve hour without also altering leave.

    Jeebus, don’t think I’ve ever seen such blatant example of corporate theft. The directors should be going to jail over this.

    • Daveo 2.1
      8 May 2013 at 9:40 am

      It was the Employment Contracts Act. They’d driven the union out, dismantled the collective agreement and figured they could do whatever they wanted.

  3. The Pink Postman 3
    8 May 2013 at 3:50 pm

    EPMU must now use this victory to get the message out regarding the benefits of belonging to a union. Im sure they will but all of us who care for the future of our young people must also spread the message.

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