By Shane Hopkinson
NEWCASTLE — Seven hundred striking Tomago Aluminium workers returned to work on September 5, after one of the longest disputes in the history of the Hunter Valley. This was a test of the new federal legislation on enterprise bargaining, which seeks to have parties reach their own contracts.
For most of the dispute, the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) had not been involved and refused to order a return to work while negotiations were in progress.
The strike began 24 days earlier, when negotiations for an enterprise bargaining agreement broke down. The workers demanded an 8% wage rise based on increases in productivity already achieved. The management of the smelter was prepared to grant 3% and a further 4% conditional upon a new grading structure.
Management made it clear that it would begin shutdown procedures on September 5, and that this would lead to retrenchments. In the face of this threat, a mass meeting of 550 striking workers was called on Friday, September 2.
The FIMEE (Federation of Industrial Manufacturing and Engineering Employees) representative urged a return to work, saying there was nothing to gain by staying on strike. The metalworkers union delegate, however, argued that a return to work would achieve nothing. The workers voted by a margin of 26 votes to remain on strike and not to refer the matter to IRC.
Unexpectedly, a meeting on Saturday had a different outcome. At this meeting, only four members opposed an IRC recommendation to return to work.
A unanimous motion was passed to write to the Hunter Valley's Labor politicians, criticising them for their lack of support.
FIMEE organiser Bob Williams said later that the threat to shut down the smelter was not the reason for the return to work. It had been a response to the orders of the IRC, which will hear the matter in mid-October. He continued, "A lot of men were starting to feel the pinch, but they will go back to work with their heads held high, not with their tail between their legs."