Maintenance workers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners' Richlands facility will be locked out of their workplace from 6am tomorrow, in what can only be described as a heavy-handed and heartless response to lawful industrial action. The lockout follows workers implementing a limited ban on computer use as part of their protected industrial campaign during ongoing negotiations. Coca-Cola is choosing to shut out its own workforce rather than address the underlying issues.
ETU State Organiser Scott Reichman said workers have shown extraordinary patience throughout bargaining, but Coca-Cola has refused to come to the table with a decent offer.
"We've been in negotiations since early July. After three months of fruitless discussions, workers commenced a reasonable industrial campaign to support their claim for fair wages and conditions. Instead of negotiating, Coca-Cola has now chosen to lock them out in an attempt to starve them into submission," says Scott.
This lock-out will directly impact operations at the Richlands site which is Coca-Cola's largest production facility in Australia. With the Christmas and New Year period approaching, the ETU is concerned that the company's decision may have significant repercussions for supply and pricing across the soft-drink market.
Scott says, "These workers regularly work 12-hour shifts to keep this 24/7 facility running, yet Coca-Cola don't appear to value their contribution to the company's enormous global profits. A multinational corporation widely reported to have engaged in up to $430 million in tax avoidance and still in dispute with the ATO is now refusing to pay industry-standard wages and conditions. The workers who keep this company running should not be the ones asked to carry the burden."
Despite the lockout, workers remain united and determined.
"Our members will not be intimidated or starved into backing down. They refuse to be pushed around by a global corporate giant. This fight will continue until we secure a fair and decent outcome for workers," Scott says.
The ETU is calling on Coca-Cola to return to the bargaining table with a genuine offer that protects workers' living standards and brings wages and conditions up to industry benchmarks.
