Communist Web Wednesday 9th February 2000 9.30pm gmt Power Workers Reject Contracts Maintenance workers at the Yallourn power station in Victoria returned to work under duress on Monday after the Victorian Government invoked the Electricity Industry Act to order the workers back. The workers had been on the picket line since January 10 when they were locked out by the private Yallourn Energy company in a struggle over contract labour. "These workers feel betrayed by [Victorian Premier] Bracks", said Dean Mighell, Secretary of the Victorian Branch of the Electrical Trades Union The use of the State Government's emergency powers unjustly threatens penalties against workers of $10,000 plus $1,000 for every subsequent day of non-compliance. Mr Mighell said the men had conceded many points to resolve the dispute, but the Government had punished them for it. "Believe me, they don't want to go back." At the time of the return to work, unions were considering extending the industrial action to other power stations and the Victorian Trades Hall Council had authorised its power industry negotiator Brian Boyd to approach affiliated unions across Victoria with a view to taking industrial action. Like BHP in the Pilbara, the British transnational PowerGem, the major... http://www.billkath.demon.co.uk/cw/Power-Workers-Reject-Contracts/Power-Work ers-Reject-Contracts.html
