The Australian Workers’ Union will be seeking urgent meetings with Visy, the new owners of O-I Glass, to ensure jobs and conditions remain in place.
O-I Glass, which employs more than a 1000 workers across four sites in Melbourne, Adelaide, Penrith and Brisbane, has just announced it has sold its Australian and New Zealand operations to Visy Industries, one of the world’s largest privately owned paper, packaging and recycling companies.
The AWU will be working with management and the new owners to make sure they adhere to Fair Work Commission rules and that the current Enterprise Agreements stay in place during the transition and beyond.
Daniel Walton, ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Secretary of the AWU, said it was essential that this industry should continue its proud history unchanged.
“The bottles that are produced in these factories end up in the hands of millions of Australians every year. From mums feeding their babies, to friends cooking up a bowl of pasta, to mates sitting back enjoying a cold beer at the end of the working day.
“It just wouldn’t be right drinking a beer with glass produced from overseas and we will be fighting any attempt to take any of this successful business offshore.”
The AWU will be meeting with VISY and O-I management over the next few weeks to discuss the sale and future plans. The AWU will keep members fully up to date and will do everything within its power to keep your jobs and entitlements remain in place across all sites.
Between its four manufacturing plants, O-I Australia produces over 2.5 billion glass containers for hundreds of food and beverage companies every year, supplying the packaging for households essential goods such as milk, water, spreads, juice, olive oil, pasta and simmer sauces, and alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine.
As well as employing more than 1,000 staff, it also indirectly provides jobs for thousands of people employed through its suppliers, third parties and those in the food and beverage industry.
Mr Walton added: “The AWU has always supported the Australian glass industry and will continue to advocate for all of our members. In these troubled times it’s more vital than ever that we protect and support our manufacturing industry and promote and use Australian made products that are the rival of the world.”
