Thomas Foods in Murray Bridge, South Australia have been forced into a humiliating backdown after calling the police on the AMIEU, only for the police to tell them the union had every right to be there.
The Murray Bridge site has two separate lunchrooms, both of which are regularly serviced by visiting AMIEU officials.
Last week however, Thomas Foods management decided, suddenly and with no explanation, that one of the two lunchrooms was off limits to to the AMIEU.
Needless to say, union officers ignored this unlawful order and moved into the lunchroom as normal.
A flustered Thomas Foods management then called the police to have these troublesome union officers ejected — only to be disappointed when the police pointed out the union was obeying the law and was entitled to speak to workers.
No price too high to pay to get rid of unions
This sort of behaviour isn’t new from employers, and it’s not even the first time Thomas Foods in Murray Bridge have tried it. Thomas Foods believes in the American model of food processing, where unions are the enemy, workers should be paid the minimum wage, and lunch breaks are a distant memory.
The story doesn’t end there: the AMIEU is now investigating whether or not Thomas Foods violated WHS requirements by bringing police onto the site without face covers, breathing masks or Q-fever vaccinations.
In their rush to have the union kicked out, it’s very likely that Thomas Foods exposed the police to unnecessary risk and the possibility of infection. Here’s a story about how one of our members almost lost her son to a sudden Q-fever attack – even though tests showed that he was vaccinated.
Q-fever is extremely serious, and can even be fatal. We would hope that Thomas Foods would think twice about exposing the police to something so deadly without proper protection, rather than just throwing safety concerns out the window when the nasty union shows up at the door.
Your rights are under attack
We will keep fighting every day for your right to a safe workplace and strong wages and conditions. But if the Liberals and their mates in big business “productivity commissions” have their way, you won’t be able to talk to your union for much longer.
The Turnbull Government has already announced that they are looking to make changes to further attack workers just like you, including cracking down on when unions are allowed on site to speak to members.
This will mean that if you are being bullied or harassed, or if you’re working in a dangerous or unsafe environment, you won’t be able to talk to anybody about it.
Working people need to stand together now more than ever. Stand up for yourself and for others like you by joining the union online now.