Support the Newcastle Boeing Workers

Send a protest message now!

Every day, out at the Williamtown airbase - just past the Williamtown (ie., Newcastle) airport - is the Boeing workers picked-line. They have been on strike now for over 170 days, fighting for the ‘choice’ of a collective agreement.

Support the Newcastle Boeing Workers Union Solidarity From Melbourne Indymedia November 21, 2005 Every day, out at the Williamtown airbase - just past the Williamtown (ie., Newcastle) airport - is the Boeing workers picked-line. They have been on strike now for over 170 days, fighting for the ‘choice’ of a collective agreement.

Their situation is the epitome of what Howard’s IR laws will mean for all of us.

Since the beginning of 2005 Australian Workers Union (AWU) members employed by Boeing at the RAAF Base Williamtown, Newcastle, have been attempting to negotiate a collective agreement to cover their wages and employment conditions.

Since the start of last June, these members have been out on the picket line because Boeing has refused to even sit down with the AWU (their chosen industrial representatives) to negotiate a reasonable, transparent and fair enterprise bargaining agreement.

For a number of years, Boeing workers at Williamtown have been employed pursuant to secret, individual contracts of employment that permit Boeing to pay different rates of pay to workers on the same classification level. In some cases, Boeing employees at lower classification levels have been earning higher rates of pay than employees on higher classification levels with more experience, qualifications and responsibilities.

John Howard and his cohort of industrial intellects continue to sprout the line that all Australian workers, including these AWU members at Boeing, will always have the right to choose to negotiate a collective certified agreement through their union.

Sadly, this does not seem to be the case for AWU members at Boeing.

Now you have an opportunity to show your support for your fellow AWU members at Boeing and let John Howard and his mates know that paying lip service to core rights such as this is simply not enough.

Tell them all that a commitment about the right of employees to negotiate collectively must be delivered upon by the Australian government and employers, in accordance with Australia’s long-held tradition of a «fair go» and international conventions to which Australia is a signatory.

More info at their site: http://www.awu.net.au/national/campaigns/boeing/protest_form.html

Support the Boeing Workers - send a protest message now! www.awu.net.au/national/campaigns/boeing/protest_form.html

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From Melbourne Indymedia November 21, 2005