Loyal workers sacked

There’s nothing like a global crisis to bring out the worst in some companies. Despite a massive $713 million profit, built by a loyal workforce, the Fosters brewing company has decided to outsource its Abbotsford plant and sell off its workforce to a labour hire company. Those who fail to secure work with the labour hire company ABB will be without work.  

'Some of these workers were out fighting bushfires when they received the redundancy news, five days after Black Saturday.  It’s a disgrace,’ says Fosters employee and AMWU shop steward Wolfgang Smoger.
 
‘One of the reasons Fosters has been so successful is that it has a loyal and dedicated workforce, with employees who have worked for years at the company.  It’s a workforce of some 7,000 people, so skilled Fosters has increased its profit by 9%,’ says Electrical Trades Union assistant secretary, Howard Worthing.
 
With Victorians reeling at the horror of the bushfires, and unions such as the AMWU & ETU giving freely to the Bushfire Appeal, the Fosters decision, selfish and callous, could not be more out of step with community attitudes, says Mr Worthing.
 
‘What prompts a company at times like these - with jobs being slashed around the world - to send a letter identifying its “initial focus as retrenchment of electrical tradespersons and instrument fitters” to employees,’ asked Mr Chris Spindler,  AMWU Organiser .

The decision by Fosters could not come at a worse time and flies in the face of the co-operative spirit in Victoria in the aftermath of the bushfires. ‘We only hope the people of Victoria treat this callous act with the contempt it deserves.  The unions and their members will fight to keep these jobs at Fosters.  

Howard Worthing (see photo) can be contacted on 0418 534 926

Chris Spindler can be contacted on 0425 784 819

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