Coles workers demand equal rights

Vanguard August 2012 p. 12
Marcus H.

Striking workers at the Coles Distribution Centre in the northern Melbourne suburb of Somerton returned to work on Tuesday July 24^th, following a near three month long Enterprise Agreement campaign, culminating in a fourteen day long period of industrial action.

Following the two week long strike, approximately 550 workers voted to accept a renewed offer from their employer, Toll Logistics, at dusk on Monday July 23^rd, 2012.

The workers, members of the National Union of Workers, were left with no option but to embark on an indefinite period of industrial action, when logistics giant Toll denied workers the right to the same conditions that other Coles workers currently have in the warehousing industry.

Back in 2005 retail giant, the Coles group, took advantage of John Howard’s WorkChoices to establish the new facility as a Greenfields site, therefore able to offer inferior wages and conditions. Although investing heavily in the new Distribution Centre, Coles made the decision to outsource its warehousing function to Toll, in order to carry no responsibility for the workers.

The National Union of Workers and its members entered into negotiations for the first Enterprise Agreement at the site, located in an industrial centre of Melbourne, in 2009. The members were hopeful of industrial action on that occasion, only to experience firsthand a filthy, underhanded tactic from Toll Holdings.

On the day of voting, Toll bussed labour hire casuals onto the site, casuals that had never been seen before. The same casuals were never seen again, they were simply shipped in en-masse and advised to accept what was on offer, in order to adversely affect the result of the ballot.

The 2012 campaign saw workers demand that they be treated equally, and receive the same entitlements that other Cole’s warehouse workers currently enjoy around Australia. ‘Equal Rights for Equal Sites’ quickly became the theme around which workers rallied. Five key claims, consisting of a decent wage increase, Rostered Days Off, Shift Allowances, site rates for casual workers, a voluntary system of working Public Holidays, and Union Rights were all ill received by the employer.

The total package was estimated to have cost around $5 million, around one third of the salary pocketed each year by Coles Chief Executive Ian McLeod, and just a small percentage of that of  Toll Holdings $295 million profit result over the financial year 2011-12.

Total lack of respect from the global company Toll presented the Somerton workers with just one option – unite and fight for, and uphold the basic rights and entitlements in the logistics industry.

Well into the period of industrial action, the NUW members voted down a further two insulting offers from the company. Meanwhile, Toll had sought a Supreme Court order to have the picket line dismantled. In defiance, the workers hoisted a Eureka Flag over the barricade of timber pallets that was in place to prevent any freight leaving or entering the site. Under the inspirational flag of stars, the workers, fighting against the might of two of the biggest corporations in the land, took the Eureka oath to ‘stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties’ And just as the Ballarat miners stood up to tyrannical administration back in 1854, the workers at Somerton stood under the flag facing a massive Police presence.

Backing down after fourteen days in dispute, Toll presented the Somerton National Distribution Centre workers with a new, unprecedented offer. An offer which guaranteed a wage increase of over ten per cent over three years, nine rostered days off per year for day shift employees, and five for afternoon and night shift employees, site rates, allowances and conversion rights into permanency for Casual employees. The right to a voluntary system of working Public Holidays was also gained.

Union rights were a key element born out of the dispute. Union right of entry, paid training time for Delegates and meetings during company time have been delivered. Unity is Strength is more than the Unions motto; it’s the truth, as seen in this dispute. The determination of the workers to fight for what was fair and right, with widespread support from the community and other Unions, was critical in the workers crushing the hopes of both Coles and Toll, and winning a hard fought and bitter battle. It was a story of workers who stood up not just for their own gain, but for that of every warehouse worker in Australia, in order to maintain and advance the industry conditions. It was for this reason that many workers from the neighbouring Woolworths Distribution Centre stood in solidarity with their fellow NUW comrades.

The victorious workers returned through the portals of the Northern suburban warehouse on Tuesday July 24^th, knowing they will very shortly enjoy the same conditions as their Coles counterparts in other States.  They sent a clear message to Coles, that no longer will they tolerate being treated any differently to directly employed workers.