Synovate lockout lifted

Written By: - Date published: 10:30 am, April 15th, 2009 - 18 comments
Categories: workers' rights - Tags: ,

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Indymedia reports that the lockout at research company Synovate has been lifted and a settlement has been reached:

Late last night, union and company negotiators reached a settlement at the Department of Labour.

Pay rises will be 50c now and 50c in 6 months. People will get paid for stat. holidays over the lock-out. And a bunch of other improvements in conditions that will really make a difference for these people’s lives.

Cheers for people’s support and solidarity. It was the key to victory.

Union members will be going back to work with heads held high.

This was a great demonstration of solidarity in action. Well done to the workers and everyone involved for standing up to the company’s lockout and giving them a good kicking.

Looks like the fundraiser planned for Thursday will be turning into a victory rally after all.

18 comments on “Synovate lockout lifted ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. Chris G 1
    15 April 2009 at 11:27 am

    Good stuff!

  2. Matt 2
    15 April 2009 at 11:44 am

    Outstanding! And let’s hope this victory serves as a shining example to other workers in NZ 🙂

  3. Stephen 3
    15 April 2009 at 12:05 pm

    Can anyone say what did it, specifically, or was it just protesting in general?

  4. Tom Semmens 4
    15 April 2009 at 12:27 pm

    I suspect this may have been inspired by our French friends, the country we all love to hate but secretly wish we were more like.

    http://timescorrespondents.typepad.com/charles_bremner/2009/04/its-okay-to-lock-up-your-boss-says-nearly-half-of-france.html

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7964122.stm

    I particularly like the fact that almost half the French population agree “sequestration” of the boss is a good idea.

  5. Stephen 5
    15 April 2009 at 1:55 pm

    You’re too kind Felix.

  6. Greg 6
    15 April 2009 at 4:35 pm

    Serious question. Are employers all bad people?

    • Tane 6.1
      15 April 2009 at 4:46 pm

      No. Some are, but the rest are just people working within the logic of an amoral system. Sometimes that leads to immoral outcomes.

      That’s why the Left tries to change the system, while also having a crack at those who behave particularly badly within it.

  7. big bruv 7
    15 April 2009 at 4:59 pm

    So you achieved your goal by thuggery and bully tactics, I am sure that is going to do a lot for industrial relations at this firm.

    I would wager that the staff could have negotiated their own agreement without the abuse and threatening behaviour of the union scum, hell, they would even get to keep more of their own money by not having to pay union dues.

  8. Felix 8
    15 April 2009 at 6:08 pm

    If everyone just ignores big bruv it’ll fuck off back to the sewer.

    You all know there’s zero point engaging with it so don’t waste your time. That’s what it wants you to do.

    • lprent 8.1
      15 April 2009 at 6:53 pm

      Amazing as it seems, he isn’t banned (I checked). I suppose I usually read his inanities in the sewer and kind of expected that he would have picked up a permanent ban.

      So the usual rules apply. If he wants to make a dork of himself, he is entitled to, at least until a moderator sees a transgression of the policy or just gets annoyed adding notes to his comments.

      Mind you he probably has the largest set of comments with notes on of anyone on the site last year. He has a track record of being almost uniformly incorrect at a factual level. Why doesn’t that surprise me.

  9. jerry 9
    15 April 2009 at 6:38 pm

    Thanks bystander – always interesting to see the other side of the story.

    I note that …”27 workers belonging to Unite represent a small percentage of the 150 call centre part-time staff employed by Synovate.”

    and Synovate’s comments that …..

    “On April 14th, the Auckland and Wellington offices of the Ministry of Social Development and ASB Bank were picketed by protesters representing Unite, causing disruption to their operations.

    The MSD and ASB are clients of Synovate. Whilst we support legitimate staff protest, actions like these are in no one?s interests, whether union or non-union.”

  10. Maynard J 10
    15 April 2009 at 8:53 pm

    Why thanks so much for the spin sample, bystander. I note it says that reports of a pay increase are inaccurate (thus trying to make the strike look ineffectual to simple folk who can’t read between the lines), when that’s only because it’s an MoA signed in the leadup to signing the collective.

    I did like their wee sob-story about targeting their clients – good to let people know who’s using whom when there’s a lockout.

  11. Clint Heine 11
    16 April 2009 at 4:51 am

    I would suggest that there is an equal amount of nonsensical propaganda from both sides Maynard J. No point believing every group that waves red flags outside my windows is it? 🙂

    • Maynard J 11.1
      16 April 2009 at 9:35 am

      I largely agree with that sentiment, Clint. PR is so zero-sum! In this example, Synovate seem to be clutching at straws with their definitions, while the Union seems high on rhetoric. Both for a good enough reason.