CSL workers have commenced 24 hours of protected industrial action after months of stalled negotiations and repeated bad-faith tactics from CSL management.
The action, supported by all three unions - the CPSU, AMWU and UWU - commenced at midnight last night and will run until midnight tonight.
Earlier in bargaining, CSL was forced to withdraw its proposed agreement after they were caught out misleading workers. Then, despite receiving clear messages that the deal failed to address core concerns around pay and conditions, CSL management put the same offer out for a vote.
The decision to escalate to industrial action was then made after 69% of workers rejected that proposed agreement.
Workers are wanting to see fair pay, fair rostering, and fair treatment at work. CSL management has continued to ignore its workers demands while executives enjoy multimillion-dollar salaries.
Quotes attributable to Rebecca Fawcett, CPSU Deputy Secretary:
"CSL's approach to bargaining has been nothing short of disgraceful. Workers have been met with misinformation, intimidation, and threats, instead of genuine negotiation.
"What our members are asking for are very reasonable improvements to their enterprise agreement, yet CSL keeps serving up insulting offers while their executives pocket multimillion-dollar pay packets.
"Our members are the backbone of CSL's operations, and they deserve a fair deal.
"We've reached a point where industrial action is necessary to send CSL management the message they're refusing to hear.
"It's time for them to pull their heads out of the sand, listen to their workforce and negotiate a good outcome for the people that their entire company relies on."
