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FMP industrial dispute continues

23 Aug, 2010 03:46 PM
THE DISPUTE between employees and management at Ballarat brake manufacturer FMP continues to rage.

More than a month after the initial strike, it does not seem a resolution is on the horizon.

A scheduled meeting between the two parties this morning proved fruitless, according to Australian Manufacturers Working Union representative Colin Muir.

Mr Muir said FMP management had agreed to submit a document outlining proposed conditions which employees could read over, but that did not happen.

''We were hoping to get hold of a document that has been promised for a month,'' he said.

''We were meant to get it at 9:30 but they didn't have it.''

FMP general manager Graeme Dixon said he was unsure what was expected of the meeting as he had not received an agenda.

He said it was previously agreed the document &mdah; outlining the enterprise bargaining agreement — was to be submitted at some time today.

''They will have the document by the end of the day,'' he said.

With a resolution at least a week away, many employees have previously motioned they did not want to strike any further and they just wanted to return to work.

Mr Dixon said a secret ballot taken last week indicated the employees accepted the companies conditions.

''We were a little surprised by the feedback from the union, we understood the result of the vote was the final outcome,'' he said.

''We believed today's meeting was to confirm the employees had agreed.

''Now they're (the union) proposing employees take yet another vote.

''It must be very confusing for them.''

Mr Muir said industrial action would stop in the meantime as there was a split decision between employees as to whether they wanted to continue to strike.

''We didn't want people locked into a long, ongoing permanent dispute,'' he said.

''It's really a deadlock.''

A meeting will be held on Wednesday between employees and the AMWU to discuss further action.

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comments


Date: Newest first | Oldest first
Looks like the workers just simply want to keep their jobs Colin Muir. I would rather lose one rdo a month and keep my job than receive 365 centrelink paid rdo's a year. The voters also have woken up as well to the unions as was shown on the weekends election.
Posted by MARK, 23/08/2010 4:27:12 PM, on The Ballarat Courier
I guess there was no election win for labour and so Colin has to maintain his shenanigans whislt the parliament is hung. It's a shame, those poor employees must be getting sick of his games. And on again, off again acceptance of the offer.
Posted by Brett, 23/08/2010 4:48:04 PM, on The Ballarat Courier
Just as well He doesn't owe them a living.
Posted by ralf, 23/08/2010 5:02:29 PM, on The Ballarat Courier
Thanks for delaying my payrise again colin, you've just wiped out another paypacket.
Posted by Pete, 23/08/2010 6:34:45 PM, on The Ballarat Courier
So i take it you people dont want a job?
Posted by Davo, 23/08/2010 10:33:52 PM, on The Ballarat Courier
So Graeme Dixon didn't know what the agenda was? I thought it would be obvious Mr Dixon, resolve the dispute and finalise an agreement with the Union and your employees. Its not rocket science is it?
Posted by Bazza, 23/08/2010 10:59:00 PM, on The Ballarat Courier
Whinge, whinge and whinge...seems to me that we should all just work for free or even better....work and pay our employer for their generosity. Cant wait to explain that one to the next generation!
Posted by Anita, 24/08/2010 12:17:21 AM, on The Ballarat Courier
As an alternative Anita you can strike and moan about conditions, assume your employer exsists just to keep you in work and continue to make unreasonable demands on a struggling economy, but then again you might just be thankful you have a job at all and that your getting paid to do it. I do hope FMP dont cave on this, about time people realised a job where you dont earn as much as you think you should is bettter than no job at all
Posted by fish1470, 25/08/2010 10:05:10 AM, on The Ballarat Courier

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