The Guardian 8 November, 2006
Peel Community blockades Alcoa
David Fox
Concerned residents and workers in the Peel community (75 km south of Perth) picketed the refinery of mining multinational Alcoa’s on November 1 and 2 in support of 30 contract workers — on union rates — who have recently lost their jobs there.
The workers were contracted to Alcoa through the civil engineering firm JM and ED Moore, a Mandurah-based company which held the contract for 28 years.
The company had been negotiating to renew its contract with Alcoa over the past few months, but Alcoa would not approve the union wage rates put forward to them.
Instead Alcoa awarded the contract to a very anti-union firm called CECK, which offered its workers to Alcoa on a $15.60 flat rate.
As Alcoa was JM and ED Moore’s major client it does not have sufficient work to redeploy the workers, leaving their future looking very grim.
Like all workers the former Alcoa employees have bills, and most would also have families to feed and mortgages or rent to pay. Christmas coming up and they are finding it very hard. Some workers are now considering moving away from the Peel district to find other work.
Although Alcoa claims to support the Peel community this is a blatant attack. Its drive to reduce wages and conditions in order to gain bigger profits shows no consideration for the social ramifications and flow on effects.
Winning support
This is the first major action by the Peel Community Solidarity Group against a major multinational corporation.
The picket blockaded the access road to Alcoa and traffic was banked bumper to bumper for many kilometres.
Alcoa workers got out of their cars and walked up to the picket line to find out what was going on, and they listened to what was being said. There was overwhelming support for the 30 laid-off contract workers.
Everybody agreed that the workers of Australia need to fight back now, not just for themselves but for future generations as well.
Other community and union solidarity groups are also forming in other parts of Western Australia, joining the nation-wide movement against Howard’s so-called "Work Choices".
When ordinary workers and their communities organise they are capable of extraordinary things.
The Peel Community Solidarity Group has promised their campaign will continue until Alcoa is prepared to talk with the union involved and the workers have their jobs back on union rates.