ESSO fighting fund

Federation members have contributed almost $12,000 to go to the fighting fund for Esso/UGL workers in the Bass Strait offshore oil and gas dispute.

A bucket collection at Saturday’s Federation Council meeting raised $5861.05 and was then matched by Federation to bring the total to $11,725.

For almost 18 months, families in Longford, Victoria, have been making big sacrifices to take a stand against some of the biggest companies in Australia – Esso and UGL – after workers were sacked and offered their jobs back with 30 per cent pay cuts and a cruel anti-family roster.

Federation General Secretary John Dixon said the collection was a “fantastic result” but the fight was not over yet.

“If there are any officers who weren’t at council or staff who would like to donate to these workers please let Federation know and I will make sure the money is forwarded to their fighting fund,” he said.

For close to four years, the company has been at an impasse with unions, including the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Electrical Trades Union, over negotiations for a new enterprise agreement covering its offshore workforce.

The money raised will help workers’ families to continue to pay the bills and put food on the table while they fight for justice.

If they don’t have the resources to stay afloat and keep fighting, more employers across the country will think they can get away with this too.