After 52 days of industrial action aimed at preserving work conditions and long-term job security, the Australian Workers’ Union has voted to end their strike and return to work at Alcoa.
Negotiations over a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement have been ongoing between the two parties for 18 months, with talks reaching fever pitch when workers walked out on the company on August 8.
As such, about 1600 people from the multinational company’s Pinjarra, Kwinana, Wagerup, Huntly and Willowdale facilities have been on picket lines and striking for over seven weeks.
Alcoa released a statement on Thursday evening stating it had relented in relation to some of the AWU’s demands and the latest revised EBA would appease workers’ fears over job security.
In emotive scenes at Sir Ross McLarty Oval in Pinjarra on Friday morning, hundreds of people heard from AWU officials.
The story from both sides:
While the workers will not vote on the new EBA offer until next month, the decision was made to return to work in the short term and end industrial action.
Speakers both for and against ending the strike put forward their arguments passionately, before a show of hands was taken – with the decision to return to work endorsed almost unanimously.
AWU WA branch president Andy Hacking said he wanted to thank all those that had supported striking workers and the Pinjarra community at large.
“While we have made significant improvements in relation to job security, there is still work to do,” he said.
“Hopefully this win can be a tool that other unions and workplaces across Australia can jump on.
“Although we are going back to work, it does not necessarily mean workers will pick up the new EBA.”
Alcoa filed for a termination of the current EBA earlier this month, with a four-day Fair Work Commission process taking place in Perth.
The determination and decision from this has not yet been reached.
Gareth McKnight
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
Gareth McKnight is Mandurah Mail's editor.
