Council workers at the City of MelbourneÌýwent on strike for two hours from 3.30 pm on September 27Ìýand rallied outside Melbourne Town Hall. The rally was followed by a protest march along Swanson Street from Bourke to Flinders streets.
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The workers are demanding a new agreement with betterÌýpay and conditions. City of Melbourne is the richestÌýcapital city in Australia.
The Australian Services Union (ASU) said itsÌýmembers will continue with work bans across the City of Melbourne as management refuse to meet to agree upon a fair Enterprise Agreement for its staff.
Australian Services Union (ASU) Organiser Ty Lockwood said the ASU had offered to meet with management every day to resolve the outstanding issues before work bans again kicked off over the Grand Final weekend.
“We have reached out to meet in our attempt to further negotiations before any planned industrial action commenced this week. Since last week, the City of Melbourne haven't made one attempt to meet with the ASU negotiating team beforeÌýThursday’sÌýformal meeting.
“The ASU and its members apologise to all people affected by the protest, but we feel this is one of the few ways we have to get management's attention. Any affected people can contact City of Melbourne CEO Martin Cutter or Lord Mayor Robert Doyle to convince them to get this EA finalised and limit any more industrial action affecting the city.
“Staff haveÌýuniversally rejected a sub-standard offer put forward by management. As we have said all along, this is about an employee’s right to procedural fairness and having the ability to appeal a management decision should they disagree with it, particularly with regardÌýto disciplinary outcomes.â€
The strike will continue over the Grand Final weekend,Ìýone of the busiest weekends in Melbourne.ÌýIndustrial action from September 29Ìýwill include parking officers not enforcing green signs across the city, including duringÌýthe AFL Grand Final Parade on September 30, and the AFL Grand Final on October 1.Ìý
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ÌýFor campaign updates visit .
Video of Shane from City of Melbourne Indigenous Unit playingÌýdidgeridoo for the striking workers.
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