Protests after Aussie workers sacked by text

Protests after Aussie workers sacked by text
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/protests-after-workers-sac...
August 7, 2015 5:50pm
AAP

About 100 workers were sacked by Hutchison Ports Australia via email or text message overnight Thursday.
WORKERS will continue to protest mass sackings by shipping giant Hutchison Ports Australia, who dumped almost half its workforce with late night text messages.

About 100 protesters in Sydney and 50 in Brisbane continue to occupy the company’s terminals after 94 workers across Australia, including in Brisbane, were notified they were being sacked via text messages at 11.30pm on Thursday.

“We’re just really disappointed and frustrated,” Maritime Union of Australia Sydney branch Secretary Paul Mcaleer said.

“We have 50 families (in each city) who are crushed. This isn’t about 50 people made redundant because there is no work. There is work here.

“The women and men they work with, who have been lucky enough to escape the brutality at the moment, are incredibly distressed about the future they have.” The MUA has sought a Federal Court injunction against the sackings.

The union says Hutchison Ports is using the sackings as a strategy to downplay their business, de-unionise their workforce and completely automate their workplace without any union involvement over the next 18 months.