14 August 2018

MEDIA RELEASE

Members at BlueScope Pacific Steel in Auckland will strike for 24 hours on Wednesday, 15 August.

Members will walk off the job from 7am in protest over the break down in their pay talks.

An overtime ban has been in place at the Otahuhu site since Friday.

E tū Industry Coordinator, Joe Gallagher says workers voted to strike after five months of frustrating pay talks, with BlueScope refusing to make a decent pay offer - despite its huge profit, unveiled yesterday.

“BlueScope has more than doubled its net profit this year to almost AUD$1.6 billion and lifted their pay out to shareholders,” says Joe.

“The New Zealand side of the business delivered a lift in earnings of more than 80 percent – the highest return in the group. To suppress wages in the wake of this stellar result is unacceptable,” he says.

Joe says members met the company for mediation on Friday and thought they had a deal.

However, he says the company quickly withdrew its offer and members imposed the overtime ban and voted to strike.

“Our members have taken a hit in recent years – they’ve taken modest pay rises and worked with the company to cut costs to support the business. Now it’s bounced back but it isn’t prepared to share the bounty with its workers.

“Their Australian counterparts have had the same offer and are also voting on strike action. It’s clear BlueScope has taken a trans-Tasman approach to bargaining with their low-ball offer.

“These are highly skilled production and trades workers who use their hearts, heads, and hands every day to make the profits this company now enjoys. That is particularly true here in New Zealand, so the company needs to make an offer that reflects that benefit.”

ENDS

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