Fed: Thousands of Victorian manufacturing workers strike

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2000
Fed: Thousands of Victorian manufacturing workers strike

Unions estimate up to 25,000 Victorian manufacturing workers walked off the job today
and a growing number of employers are bowing to their pay claim.

The Metal Trades Federation of Unions initiated the 24-hour strike in pursuit of an
industry-wide deal that includes a 15 per cent pay rise over 33 months.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, which covers most of the striking workers,
declared the strike an overwhelming success with more than 1,000 work sites abandoned.

Secretary CRAIG JOHNSTON says he's very happy with the result and more employers are
now coming to the party and signing onto the pay rises.

Federal Workplace Relations Minister PETER REITH says history showed workers ended
up losing from blanket strikes because businesses were forced under.

He told ABC radio that in the early 80s, the AMWU ran an industry-wide campaign for
higher wages, with illegal strikes and 100,000 workers lost their jobs.

Opposition leader KIM BEAZLEY and Victorian Premier STEVE BRACKS blamed Mr REITH for the strike.

Mr BRACKS says the Workplace Relations Act almost forces industrial action to be taken
in these bargaining periods.

AAP RTV hmg/jd/jcc/jn

KEYWORD: CAMPAIGN (MELBOURNE)

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