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No consultation, no discussion: Fairfax’s announcement a disgrace
AMWU National Print Division Secretary Lorraine Cassin said the company’s decision not to consult with workers and unions on plans to close printing centres in Melbourne and Sydney, was in contravention of their own collective agreement.
“We were in the process of consulting with Fairfax around some restructures and changes to shifts. These were designed to save jobs and we went into those discussions in good faith.
“But that’s all off the table now. There is no good faith between the company and our union at present. While we were trying to save jobs they were in the back room discussing the closure of Tullamarine and Chullora. No consultation, no discussion.”
She said workers and the union expected better from Fairfax.
“We know there are changes confronting the (newspaper) industry and we’ve been working with the company and their competitors to confront some of the long-term issues. However we don’t take it lightly when they come out with the stroke of a pen and make this announcement.”
“Nor do we accept the position being bandied around that the only publication from now on is digital. Digital is only one stream. The community still wants printed newspapers. In our view the decision taken by Fairfax is a bad one,” Ms Cassin said.
The AMWU has met with members in Melbourne and Sydney this week to discuss the union’s response. It will also head to FairWork Australia to seek an explanation on the size of job losses and why the company tried to hide the decision from workers.
“It’s not one way traffic. They (Fairfax management) don’t tell us how it’s going to go. We have to get together, as we always do, and determine our response,” Ms Cassin said.
“We’re not interested in the share market. We’re interested in our members and Fairfax should be interested in their workers that have worked loyally for many years. To hear this decision through the media is a disgrace.”
Delegate Pedrag Bogdanovic was one of many shocked members to hear the announcement through the media.
“I spoke to one of the managers in here today. He said ‘we couldn’t say anything because of market sensitivity’. What’s more important, market sensitivity that plays with invisible money or the family and livelihood of people? It’s just rubbish.”