Hazeldene's Workers Want Secure Jobs

My name is Dylan Moroney and I was employed by Hazeldene's Poultry processing plant in February 2015. Soon after commencing I learned that I was employed on a separate agreement to other workers.

Contrary to the collective agreement negotiated between Hazeldene's and the National Union of Workers, I was placed on a fixed term contract for six months with no way to progress to permanent employment.

When I brought this to the attention of my union delegate, my fixed term contract was discarded and the collective agreement was enforced. I became an active union member and supported other workers to stand up for their rights and join the union.

Not coincidently, six days prior to my probation expiring, I was sacked. The company cited “performance” as the reason but no one from management had ever discussed issues of performance with me.

During my time at Hazeldene’s I was never provided with critical feedback about my performance. I believe I was sacked because I was a strong and active union member and Hazeldene’s tried to make an example of me to other workers.

Everyone who works there knows that Hazeldene’s buses in hundreds of workers from Melbourne every day and these workers are contracted through disreputable third party labour hire companies who deliberately employ migrant workers who are unaware of their workplace rights. These workers are paid below the award wage and the company has a strategy of intimidating them so they do not join the union and do not speak out publicly.

The practices at Hazeldene’s are similar to those featured on The ABC's "Four Corners" program, Slaving Away. These highly questionable labour hire practices cause huge problems in workers’ lives.

These workers have no job security so they cannot provide for their families in the way they need to. They cannot buy homes and are basically invisible because they are not employed “on the books”.
The Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) at Hazeldene's will expire in October. The company has released a draft inferior EBA before the old agreement has even expired.

This draft agreement would leave workers significantly worse off. Hazeldene's are not negotiating with workers or the union in good faith. Instead of the EBA being a way for workers to gain better conditions, this draft EBA would be regressive.

Sign this petition and call on Hazeldene's to treat their workers fairly.