Dinmore uses lockout
THE Dinmore meatworks will shut down tomorrow for the second time in a fortnight - and more stoppages will continue on Monday.
The lockout will follow a four-hour strike by workers tonight, and will render strikes planned for tomorrow's day shift and a night shift in the hide plant redundant.
Industrial action at the plant will continue despite the closure, with the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) having announced four-hour stoppages for Monday.
AMIEU state secretary Brian Crawford said workers were notified of Friday's lockout on Monday and Tuesday, and were told there would be no work as a result of the stoppages.
The AMIEU is continuing industrial action after its call for a 4% pay rise was met by an offer from JBS Australia of a 3% increase. Mr Crawford said the AMIEU had no plans to hold off on its campaign.
"The union is continuing its campaign for a fair and reasonable wage increase with further protected industrial action," Mr Crawford said.
He said the union was in close contact with Dinmore members.
"As always, the members at Dinmore have democratic control of this process," Mr Crawford said.
"There has been a strong reaction to continuing lockouts being imposed by JBS Australia under the thinly veiled disguise of stand-downs."
Mr Crawford said the AMIEU had "kept lines of communications open", but no formal discussions had taken place as of yesterday.
"There have been no offers made to resolve the impasse and no formal negotiations have taken place, nor have JBS Australia sought any," he said.
Monday's strikes will run from 11am to 3pm in the boning room and from 11.30am to 3.30pm on the slaughter floor.
Industrial action at the plant began in May with a ban on overtime and working extra days.
Stoppages were increased last week from two to four hours on Thursday and Friday, and were met with a lockout on Friday.
JBS Australia's director and manager of corporate and regulatory affairs John Berry was unavailable for comment.
