East Timor workers threaten strike action
against Australian air transport company

The East Timorese Transport Workers' Union and Trade Union Confederation 
have demanded an urgent and immediate resolution to an ongoing industrial 
dispute that began when Australian-owned Timor Aviation Services (TAS), 
based in Dili, unfairly dismissed two employees in the midst of 
negotiations.

The Union has been negotiating to finalise salary increases and improved 
working conditions after the company had frozen wages for a period of 
almost three years.

The two sacked workers were the Union workplace delegates who had been 
representing all TAS workers in the negotiations for a collective 
agreement. After long negotiations failed, the Union and the Confederation 
issued TAS a final opportunity to avoid industrial action.

This declaration follows four weeks of combined efforts by the Union, the 
Confederation and the East Timor Government's Department of Labour and 
Solidarity to return the two employees to work.

The company has so far ignored their obligations and refused to reinstate 
the workers, despite receiving a directive from the Government to do so on 
three separate occasions.

On September 30, the Department of Labour again instructed Timor Aviation 
Services to reinstate the dismissed workers but the company refused.

The Union has three main demands:

* That TAS immediately reinstate the two dismissed workers;

* Sign the Collective Agreement as negotiated by the Union delegates;

* Issue the outstanding salary increases due to employees.

Timor Aviation Services (http://www.timoraviation.com) is 
owned and operated by Australian nationals, who show little regard for the 
laws of either the fledging nation of East Timor or their country of 
origin.

TAS provides freight handling, customs and charter services to the 
Australian Defence Force, Qantas, Harvey World Travel and numerous air 
companies that service oil, gas, mining industries and non-government 
organisations operating in both Australia and East Timor.

The East Timor Trade Union Confederation has warned that their affiliated 
unions and the workers of East Timor will not tolerate any attempt by TAS 
to break the strike through the hiring of replacement workers.

* * *

Messages of solidarity to:

Rigo Monteiro (TLTUC): + 670 723 6276 in East Timor or 
secretariat@tltuc.org

Didge MacDonald (LHMU): +418 852 545