The Guardian 1 August, 2007
Cochlear workers say "We want our share"
While the share price of hearing-aid company rose $4 in one week on the stock market recently, workers at the company are still struggling to get a just wage agreement. AMWU members at the company in Sydney are continuing their campaign for the union to negotiate on the behalf, and voting down a company offer of a non-union agreement for the second time.
Last week, the workers distributed post-cards explaining how they had been mistreated under the IR laws to houses in their local area, which covers both John Howard’s and Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey’s electorate.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) also launched a campaign for the workers on the internet, encouraging people to email the CEO of Cochlear to object to the company’s treatment of its workforce.
Already over 1500 people have sent an email with a strong message of support for the workers.
AMWU organiser, Daniel Kyriacou, said that the workers’ campaign was all the more justified by recent profit results delivered by the workers for the company.
"Cochlear is doing extremely well. Its share price rose last week by four dollars, and the reason they are doing so well is because of the hard work of the employees who are being denied a pay rise."
The company has offered all sorts of excuses to deny workers union representation, with management recently telling a hearing of the Industrial Relations Commission that they were "philosophically opposed to workers being represented by trade unions".
"The workers, many of whom have poor English skills, are upset with the company and upset that the IR laws enable Cochlear to get away with this kind of behaviour."
Despite the laws, Mr Kyriacou said that the workers and the union are doing everything possible to pressure the company by exposing their actions to the public.
"Last week, a team of activists handed out leaflets outlining the company’s treatment of its workforce at a Macquarie University conference sponsored by Cochlear.
"It does show unions can still make a difference for workers despite the restrictions on workers rights under the unfair IR laws", Mr Kyriacou said.