Minute of silence at protest
A TERRITORY protest over the rights of Victorian workers started with a minute’s silence for Carl Delaney, who was killed while on the night shift at Inpex on Wednesday.
The protest, against ESSO/ UGL for cutting workers’ pays by between 30 and 50 per cent, was held outside the Bladin Point camp and included condolence messages to Mr Delaney’s family, Electrical Trades Union NT organiser David Hayes said.
“We had messages of safety and everyone needs to look after each other,” he said.
The protest was over wages and conditions of workers in Gippsland, Victoria, who had their conditions changed after they were “forced” to re-sign their contracts with a subsidiary company of UGL.
“The union movement has no borders,” he said.
“We’re all fighting this fight on behalf of workers across Australia.
“Employers have gotten to the point where they don’t respect workers.”
As part of the protest, workers gave money to help the union continue the fight.
So far, workers at Inpex have donated $40,000 to the cause.