Vic: Good Friday fuel strike looms

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2000
Vic: Good Friday fuel strike looms

By Heather Gallagher, Industrial Correspondent

MELBOURNE, April 19 AAP - A looming 24-hour strike by Mobil refuellers at Tullamarine
airport is threatening to disrupt Easter flights.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) has told Mobil its 30 Melbourne-based refuellers
will take action on Good Friday after six months of protracted negotiations over a new
enterprise bargaining agreement.

TWU state secretary Bill Noonan said the action could be anything from one to 24 hours,
or one hour on and one hour off.

"Workers have worked out (Workplace Relations Minister) Peter Reith's legislation so
that's where they are now," Mr Noonan said.

"Mobil wants to reduce their earning situation so you can imagine that's going down
like a lead balloon."

Mr Noonan said the workers wanted a four per cent pay rise and to retain two hours'
overtime, which Mobil wanted to deduct.

He said once the refuellers turned a fuel tap off on Good Friday, no planes at Tullamarine
would be able to refuel.

"When they stop work they'll turn the tap off and even though Shell blokes want to
turn it on they won't be able to," he said.

A Mobil spokeswoman said the company wanted the union to call off its action and talk.

"Our preference is obviously to negotiate and we're disappointed that the unions are
not prepared to talk to us," she told AAP.

She said Mobil had notified the relevant airlines advising them to refuel at other
airports to minimise disruption to customers.

Ansett spokesman Geoff Lynch said the strike would not effect the company's flights.

He said Ansett would either take on extra fuel at other airports or buy from other suppliers.

A Qantas spokeswoman said the company was "closely monitoring the situation".

AAP hmg/jd/adh

KEYWORD: FUEL NIGHTLEAD

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