[Greens-Media] MARK PARNELL MLC: Adelaide key to fixing Tristar dispute

[Greens]

Media Release
25 July 2007
                         

Adelaide key to fixing Tristar dispute


Greens MLC Mark Parnell has called on the Rann Labor Government to help
resolve the long-running industrial dispute at the Tristar factory in
Sydney.

"This dispute has taken a tremendous toll on the workers and their
families, and the key to a resolution is clearly in Adelaide.  Premier
Rann is in a unique position to help resolve this dispute - I am
surprised he hasn't rushed to assist in any way he can," Mr Parnell
said.  

"All of Tristar's owners and directors live in Adelaide, and Premier
Rann has a range of connections with the key owner, Andrew Gwinnett,
recently re-appointing him to the Board of the Art Gallery of SA.

"But despite a veritable conga line of his Labor colleagues, including
Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Kim Beazley and Morris Iemma rushing to help
the Tristar workers and their families, so far Premier Rann has ignored
all requests by unions and workers to intervene.   Even Joe Hockey has
got involved," he said.  

Greg Rutherford, an engineer at Tristar for 31 years, his wife Cristeta,
and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) spokesperson Aron
Neilson, are in Adelaide today to raise local awareness of an issue that
has dominated Sydney media.

"We welcome the opportunity to highlight, in Adelaide, the situation the
Tristar workers face," said Mr Rutherford. 

Since August last year, 29 loyal and longstanding workers (average > 30
years of service) have been forced to clock on in an empty factory
because it is cheaper for the company to pay their wages in the hope
they quit, than pay them their redundancy entitlements.  

One of the employees, John Beaven, drew a wave of public sympathy in
January, when it was revealed he was about to die of cancer, leaving 3
dependent children, with the company refusing to grant him a voluntary
redundancy package. 

It has also been revealed that Arrowcrest, the parent company of
Tristar, has given $26,880 to the SA branch of the ALP over the last
eight years.

"The Premier can and must intervene.  He owes it to the workers, their
families and the unions," Mark Parnell said.

 

For further comment contact Craig Wilkins on 0434 007 893

	
 


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