NSW:Opera strike 'a last resort': unions

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2010
NSW:Opera strike 'a last resort': unions

Maritime workers threatening to disrupt the filming of the Oprah Winfrey Show in Sydney
on Tuesday say the action will be taken as a last resort.

Unions are meeting at ten tomorrow morning .. Sydney time .. to discuss whether they'll
stop work for 24 hours after wage negotiations with NSW Maritime broke down.

If the action goes ahead .. workers won't deploy the buoys necessary to ensure the
exclusion zone at the Opera House remains in place during the filming of the show.

PAUL McALEER from the Sydney branch of the Maritime Union of Australia says workers
have no faith or confidence in NSW Maritime's ability to negotiate a wage agreement ..

and had they met with them last Wednesday as promised the meeting tomorrow wouldn't be
taking place.

He says a strike will only take place if they can't get the Maritime's attention.

Workers are seeking a 15 per cent wage increase over three years and an improvement
in worker conditions.

AAP RTV ih/sw/

KEYWORD: OPRAH STRIKE (SYDNEY)

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