FED: Gillard: Howard will be judged on Tristar issue at election

AAP General News (Australia)
02-01-2007
FED: Gillard: Howard will be judged on Tristar issue at election

Labor says the federal government will be judged at the ballot box on whether it can
resolve the redundancy issue at Tristar Steering and Suspension.

Workers aren't entitled to redundancy payouts because the company maintains its Marrickville
factory is operational.

Industrial Relations Minister JOE HOCKEY has said he's sceptical about the company's
claims .. but Tristar says there's two years of work at the plant .. reconditioning existing
stock .. and workers are refusing to do it.

Opposition IR spokeswoman JULIA GILLARD says the problem for Tristar workers is urgent
and needs to be fixed before the next election.

Ms GILLARD says a Labor government could only avoid a repeat of what's happening to
the Tristar workers.

ACTU secretary GREG COMBET says there's no doubt the WorkChoices laws have contributed
to the Tristar dispute.





The workers are reportedly being paid to go into work and listen to the radio and read
the paper .. until a redundancy agreement promising them four week's pay for each year
of service expires.

AAP RTV pc/bd/klw/els/ibw

KEYWORD: TRISTAR (SYDNEY)

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