Vic: Police remove barricaded glass workers

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-1999
Vic: Police remove barricaded glass workers

MELBOURNE, Dec 30 AAP - Police today removed 20 workers who had barricaded themselves
inside an ACI glass moulding plant in Melbourne's east as part of an enterprise bargaining
dispute, a union said.

The firm yesterday morning locked the workforce out of its Box Hill plant for at least
a month, the second lockout of the past week, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
(AMWU) said.

But 20 dayshift workers were left inside the plant.

AMWU spokesman Peter Gibbons said police removed the barricaded workers early this
morning in a peaceful operation negotiated with the union.

He said the firm's tough approach was unhelpful and that the workers were determined to fight on.

"The workers decided they needed to make it quite clear to the company that they don't
believe that the lockout will solve the issue," Mr Gibbons told ABC radio.

The Federal Court last Friday ordered the reinstatement of the workers after ACI stood
them down nine days earlier.

Justice Alan Goldberg then ruled that the lockout notice by ACI was invalid and had no effect.

The AMWU, of which the 83 workers are members, has accused the company of attempting
to intimidate workers to seek concessions in an enterprise bargaining dispute.

AAP gf/cjh

KEYWORD: ACI DAYLEAD

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