Plastics mediation follows third week of action

The seven employers involved in negotiations for the Plastics MECA agreed to mediation last week following three weeks of industrial action.

Tensions have been high since workers started industrial action in response to employers' attempts to freeze their pay, with one company attempting to push workers into leaving the MECA and suspending a delegate over the action.

EPMU national plastics organiser Rachel Mackintosh says the mediation is scheduled for one day later this month.

"We would have liked to get everyone in the room sooner than this but with seven employers involved we've had to wait a coupe of weeks for a date when everyone who can make a meaningful decision is available."

"One thing this dispute has really shown is massive solidarity between workers," says Mackintosh, "with members at different sites supporting each other regardless of some of the employers' attempts to divide them."

"We were told before the action started that there would be no further offer so just getting a mediation represents significant movement which would not have come without the strength and unity of our members in this action."

A union survey of plastics workers before the negotiations showed that forty five percent are spending more than half their income just to pay for rent or mortgages.