The ACTU today urged car parts maker Tenneco to support a mediation process to settle the dispute at its Walker plant in Adelaide and ensure continuity of supply and production for the Australian car industry.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow urged management at Tenneco to respect proposals from talks with an independent mediator yesterday to allow an early return to work.
Tenneco rejected a proposal for a return to work at talks yesterday with the mediator in the dispute over the company’s failure to protect employee entitlements in accordance with its enterprise agreement.
“Tenneco should take responsibility for guaranteeing employee entitlements in accordance with its enterprise agreement. It is inadequate for companies to try to rely on the Federal Government’s employee entitlement scheme, which does not guarantee 100% of employee entitlements,” Ms Burrow said.
“Employees cannot rely on a system that fails to protect 100% of their legitimate entitlements. Thousands of workers have already lost their life savings through recent management failures and the inadequacy of the Federal Government’s employee entitlement scheme,” Ms Burrow said.
“Employers should live up to their responsibility to protect employee entitlements and honour their commitments under enterprise bargaining agreements. Tenneco should respect the mediation process and ensure continuity of supply and production for the car industry.”
