Glass workers strike for a fair share

Workers at the Pilkington glass factory in Mt Wellington, Auckland, have walked off the job in a dispute over pay.

Ten workers on the nightshift walked out at 11pm last night and will be joined by their 50 dayshift colleagues.

Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary Andrew Little said that the workers wanted a five per cent pay rise and their shift allowance increased from $3.25 a shift to $10 a shift.

“Their claims are quite modest – nothing more than the going rate,” he said.

“The company says it can’t afford them, but the New Zealand operation made a $14 million net profit in the year to March 2005, with a global profit of more than $600m.”

The workers will picket the site, in Gabador Pl (off Carbine Rd), from 7am tomorrow.

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