A shortage of Family Assorted?

Date: 19 May 2004

Arnott's biscuit workers at the Virginia factory in Brisbane are going out for a 2nd wave of stoppages, today and tomorrow, because of the failure of their employer to come to the table and negotiate a fair dinkum collective agreement.

" While we are not quite there yet - we can predict the real chance of shortages of some of our favourite bikkies on supermarket shelves if Arnott's doesn't sit down and come up with a real deal," Irene Monro, Queensland LHMU Assistant Secretary, said.

" The production lines of Family Assorted, Monte Carlos and Ginger Nuts, as well as many other biscuit lines, may be hit if LHMU and other union members are forced to go out for a third-wave of stoppages.

" Nearly 700 workers will attend stop work meetings today and tomorrow because this company seems to have forgotten what Australian fair go values are about - under their new American owners," Ms Monro said.

" We've told the management that we're fair dinkum about getting a good deal - and we want them now to sit down and show that they still understand what the Aussie fair go means."

The stoppages today and tomorrow across all shifts follows up similar stoppages held last week by the workforce.

" The next stopwork could have real bite. We are worried that it will hit the production lines of popular Arnott's biscuits - something which we can all avoid," Ms Monro said.

Key Arnott's Products

"The Virginia site is the most profitable site in the Arnott's stable and arguably the most profitable of the American giant multinational company, Campbell soup, who now own the Arnott's brand name," Irene Monro said

The LHMU proudly represents around 130,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia

Irene Monro, Queensland LHMU Assistant Secretary 0419 767 786 or Richard Alcorn, LHMU Arnott's Organiser, 0419 654 936

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union
Phone:	8204 7206
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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