The Guardian 6 December, 2006
Car companies do the dirty
The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) has accused Holden and Ford of reneging on their
agreement to keep car component factory Ajax operating until next March. The AWU said
that management of the major car companies should bow their heads in shame for double-
crossing more than 180 Ajax workers.
The car companies informed a meeting last week — which involved AWU officials and administrator
Price-Waterhouse Coopers — that they were walking away from the deal reached in August to keep
Ajax running until March, providing the administrator with time to prepare the business for
sale.
"Despite the cloud hanging over their heads, our members at Ajax have kept working their hearts
out, and have kept supplying quality products on-time to these car companies", AWU Victorian
Secretary Cesar Melhem said.
"It is truly sickening for these companies to turn around and treat our members and their families so
callously.
"If the car companies weren't prepared to keep their side of the deal, the very least they could have
done was to give us some warning that they were going to renege.
"Instead, we now have to deliver some truly terrible news to our members.
"A month out from Christmas, these hard-working Australians are facing the real prospect of losing
their jobs and the full entitlements they have accrued over many years of loyal service."