Strike slams brakes on rotten pay offer

AMWU members at Knorr-Bremse in Brisbane walked out on strike on Wednesday.

The company, which manufactures braking and subsystems for rail and commercial vehicles, also has factories in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. This strike was part of a national day of action and was the fourth coordinated rolling strike.

The workers want a new enterprise bargaining agreement and have been in negotiations with the company, a German multinational, since May last year. The company is offering wage increases way below the rate of inflation.

Late last month, union members at Knorr-Bremse rejected a poor offer by an overwhelming vote.

Union membership at the Darra plant has increased significantly since the union began fighting.

A recommendation from a meeting of interstate delegates and officials to vary their tactics so as to increase the pressure on the company was endorsed by the Brisbane workforce.

By Mark Gillespie

Magazine

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