By CASEY NEILL
WORKERS who spent four days locked in a Dandenong factory lunch room have got what they wanted.
On Sunday 1 February International Flavours and Fragrances (IFF) employees accepted a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) and returned to work on Monday.
National Union of Workers (NUW) spokeswoman Emma Kerin said negotiations started in June last year and stalled because IFF insisted on cutting conditions.
She said the three-year agreement signed last week protected paid breaks and accrued sick leave and secured annual wage increases of 2 per cent, 2.1 per cent and 2.2 per cent.
“They’re very happy to be back at work,” she said.
The workers arrived at the Frankston-Dandenong Road factory about 6am on 27 January to find they were locked out.
They were due to start protected industrial action that day that included bans on paperwork and overtime.
Ms Kerin said they voted to lock themselves in the lunchroom and left about 4pm on 30 January because IFF’s Asia Pacific management had responded to an online petition and got involved.
“They spent all day in the commission Saturday – from 10am to 9pm – with our delegates,” she said.
The American-owned multinational company supplies flavourings to Australia’s biggest food producers in liquid, powder and spray.
The Journal contacted IFF but did not receive any response.
