By Sean Muir | July 19, 2012A strike against United Parcel Service (UPS) in Australia has been put on ice despite 96 percent of workers voting in favour of industrial action.
Transport Workers Union (TWU) Assistant National Secretary Michael Kaine says the vote did not reach the threshold needed to gain approval for strike.
“The strong signal sent by those who voted shows that job security is overwhelmingly important to these workers and the TWU is committed to continuing the fight for their rights,” Kaine says.
But he says UPS is still insisting it will pay labour hire workers less than employees. Kaine labels the approach a direct threat to the job security of employees.
“Accordingly, workplace representatives are urgently considering reapplying for a protected action ballot to ensure that every worker has the opportunity to place their vote," he says.
The ballot over wages and conditions at UPS was the result of a recent merger with TNT Express, and has been taking place for weeks, with the result tallied earlier this week.
The ballot came amid concerns that a successful agreement with TNT Express negotiated last year would be undercut by UPS following the merger, as UPS management can lawfully utilise either the UPS or TNT agreements in place for a 12 month period.
UPS announced in March it had bought TNT Express for $6.4 billion.
