Barnsley workers plight

Date: 07 November 2007

CFMEU Construction National Secretary Dave Noonan will today meet union members on the picket line at Barnsley Joinery Works, where 17 workers were sacked on Friday without immediate payment of their entitlements as per the award.

The plight of the Barnsley workers serves as a warning on redundancy provisions, which are not protected by the Federal Government's Fairness Test.

'This is a stark reminder that workers under AWAs could have their redundancy rights traded away, if we allow Howard's extreme Workchoices to continue,' said Mr Noonan.

Despite the Federal Government spending $32 million a year on an industry body to regulate the building industry, this is yet another example of where the federal government policy has failed to help workers.

'The union will fight to get the workers entitlements paid by their employer. Had they been engaged in AWAs it is unlikely that they would have had any redundancy entitlement as this is not part of the Government's so-called fairness test.

'The only way of making sure the company comes through with their promise to pay the workers what they are due, is to stand here day after day, reminding the management that workers' rights cannot be ignored,' said Dave Noonan.

Some of the workers are owed up to $30,000, and as they are owed money from the company they are not eligible for benefits.

The workers' case is due to be heard before the Industrial Commission .

For further information

WWW:	http://www.cfmeu.asn.au/

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