Metals MECA settles

Metals MECA settles

Nearly 2000 engineering and manufacturing workers will have redundancy protection after EPMU members voted overwhelmingly to ratify the Metals & Manufacturing multi-employer collective agreement.

The agreement provides for up to six weeks’ redundancy compensation as well as a two percent increase on all wages and allowances.

EPMU director of organising Bill Newson says the settlement is a good outcome in the current economic conditions.

“Throughout these negotiations we’ve been keenly aware of the economic situation and the fact that many of our members had no redundancy protection in place at a time when an increasing number of manufacturing workers are being laid off due to the recession.

“Our aim was to get some compensation in place to help tide our members over in case of redundancy, and to get some wage movement to counter the increasing calls from the business sector to freeze or even cut workers’ pay and conditions.

“The employer parties deserve a lot of credit for coming to the party on this deal. These are mostly small to medium sized manufacturing and engineering firms going through some tough times, but they still managed to come to a decent settlement on the issues that matter to our members.

“If struggling small to medium enterprises can offer redundancy protections and a two percent pay rise then there’s no reason why profitable employers can’t do better.”

Now that the Metals has been ratified the EPMU will begin its campaign to sign up subsequent parties to the agreement.

The Metals & Manufacturing MECA is the EPMU’s largest multi-employer collective agreement, representing nearly 2000 workers across 150 firms.

ENDS

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