Three hundred plastics industry workers have started
nationwide industrial action today, saying their employers
are trying to impose a wage freeze.
The action includes go slows and overtime bans at businesses
covered by the Plastics Multi Employer Collective Agreement:
Marley, Viscount, VIP, Premier, Iplex, Alto and Calvert
Plastics.
A proposed wage freeze would mean a pay cut for workers on or
near the minimum wage after rises in the cost of living were
taken into account, said Engineering, Printing and
Manufacturing Union national plastics industry organiser
Rachel Mackintosh.
"This is an industry with long-term investment including
public money and many of the companies involved in this
dispute are now having to employ temporary labour and offer
overtime to meet demand."
Paul Diver, the advocate for the plastics businesses
concerned, said they would not make any comment on the
situation.
