Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

A group of 24 workers from a local building and construction company called Ausreo, in Wetherill Park, have finally settled an industrial dispute with their management following 10 weeks of being locked out from their place of work. These workers were locked out by their company following the breakdown of negotiations surrounding a new industrial agreement. I made a point of visiting these workers on a number of occasions during the lockout. Most of them are low-paid workers who have been with the company for a substantial amount of time. All these workers wanted was a fair go, improved long service leave and greater job security. Importantly, they wanted pay that was commensurate with their Victorian colleagues working at the same company and doing the same work. These workers at Wetherill Park are being paid just above the award for making concrete reinforcement products in a highly profitable industry. Instead of addressing the workers concerns at the very first instance, I understand the company refused to engage in any serious or meaningful negotiations and effectively forced these workers into a lockout.

Most of these workers are Vietnamese. Many are actual refugees and live in my community. Whilst there are always two sides to the employment relationship, it is not exactly a level playing field. It is not a matter of both sides having the same bargaining strength when negotiating. A lockout of low-paid, predominantly ethnic based workers seems so un-Australian. It almost seems that the tactic is to starve workers into submission. This is definitely not professional and certainly not dignifying. Many of the Ausreo employees have advised me that they had to contact their banks to extend their mortgage repayments and others had to cancel their childcare arrangements. This local dispute highlights the need to lift the level of training for front-line management in resolving, rather than escalating, workplace conflict.

Fortunately, an agreement was eventually reached on the 22nd of last month, which will hopefully see improvements in these workers' wages and conditions. I congratulate Dennis Ngo and his colleagues—the 24 workers that I mentioned—for their perseverance and determination in taking a stand for what they believe and in earning the respect of the community.

I would also like to take the opportunity to thank a long-term friend of mine, Jan Primrose from the AMWU, who did much to support these workers during the course of this dispute. I also acknowledge Ms Bich Thuy Pham and members of Asian Women at Work, who did a lot to support these workers by providing lunches and breakfast. On behalf of a grateful community, I thank all those involved in resolving this dispute.