Nick G.
Two rallies in one week in Adelaide have shown that workers will stand beside each other in the face of harassment and bullying by employers.
More than 50 workers from around eight unions gathered at the front of FairWork Australia (above) on Monday April 11 to support sacked Baiada (Lilydale) chicken plant worker Anyuon Mabior (below) who is fighting an unfair dismissal claim against the company (see Vanguard November 2010).
Mabior and fellow Sudanese claim that the young worker was sacked when he complained of racist emails circulating at the plant which employs mainly Chinese and African workers.When the issue first arose, the Lilydale plant in Adelaide had a scared and confused workforce subject to bullying and persecution, denied work breaks and proper payments and forced to work long hours.
But when one person stands up, others are sure to follow.
Lead organizer for the National Union of Workers in SA, Dave Garland, said that although the FairWork process would be a long one, “we are winning on the ground”.
“More than 100 Baiada workers have joined the NUW in SA and membership has increased at Baiada sites right across the country this year as workers in each state see the value of standing together for fairness.”
Meanwhile, the AMWU is fighting for a sacked Section 457 visa worker, Mohammed Khan, a diesel mechanic from Fiji.
Khan was unlawfully sacked by Adelaide Isuzu boss Tony Emmanuele just two weeks after joining the union.
Adelaide Isuzu employs around 180 workers in three plants, dozens of whom are s457 workers. The AMWU alleges that many of the workers – Filipinos, Fijians, Chinese and Indians – have been subjected to bullying, harassment and intimidation.
The union refers to reported cases where s457 visa workers have been expected to work up to 16 hour shifts with only a half hour break.
On Thursday April 14, around 100 AMWU members and supporters, including representatives from the CFMEU, AEU, SDA and FSU demonstrated outside Adelaide Isuzu.
AMWU organiser Brendon “Patch” Patchett, not exactly what you’d call a small bloke, blasted the management of the Isuzu outlet claiming that he had been physically challenged by the boss.
He described it as a company known for harassment and bullying.
With many of the cars driving past on busy North East Road honking their horns in support, Mohammed thanked people, especially from other unions, for coming and showing support.
“It’s very unfair for workers to be dismissed for joining a union,” he said.
National AMWU Secretary Dave Oliver described Mr Khan as “a courageous man”.
“As a s457 visa worker, he is bonded to his employer which means that regardless of the circumstances of his leaving the company, he has to find other work within 28 days or be deported.
“He’s not a commodity, he’s a fellow worker and a human being.
“There’s something very wrong with the system when a company with this form can do this to this man and still keep employing workers on Section 457 visas,” he told the rally.
· Workers from around the world, unite!
· Fight racism and workplace harassment!
· Get active and organised, and stand together against capitalism!
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