TAS Labour Practices in East Timor are Unacceptable

Timor Aviation Services is the latest in a long line of the Australian-owned companies that have operated in East Timor over the last three years that fail to respect accepted internattional labour norms and practices in their treatment of East Timorese workers.

While the ownership of East Timor-based Timor Aviation Services is Australian, it does not appear as an Australian-listed company and hence avoids public scrutiny and reasonable expectations that it will comply with Australian labour law and inernational conventions. TAS primarily provides services to and derives profits from a customer base of Australian companies conducting business and operations in East Timor. They would not doubt be pleased to hear directly of your dissatisfaction with the labour practices of their subcontractor, Timor Aviation Services, in East Timor.

A contact list of Australian companies doing business with TAS follows Didge McDonald's call to arms.

Jim Mellor, NTEU

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bruce McDonald" <Didge@lhmu.org.au> To: Sent: Friday, September 12, 2003 11:04 AM Subject: Union Picket - Harvey World Travel

Comrades

On this Monday, 15 September, at 12 noon CST, the NTTrades & Labour Council, affiliated unions, friends and supporters, will be picketing the Harvey World Travel office in the Darwin Mall in protest at the industrial bastardry being practiced by an affiliated company in East Timor.

Timor Air Services (www.timoraviation.com) operates at Dili Airport, controlling ticketing and baggage handling for Air North flights connecting with Darwin.

The newly formed (Feb 2003) Maritime & Transport Union of East Timor has been attempting to negotiate a collective agreement with TAS for around 6 months.

The management of TAS has tried every low trick in the book to frustrate the process, and to intimidate workers who are exercising their democratic right to bargain collectively.

The situation has worsened in recent days with TAS sacking the workplace delegate and another union member in a further act of intimidation.

The Department of Labour has directed the company to reinstate the two sacked workers but TAS are ignoring this direction.

The union has now given notice of stop-work action.

Timor Air Services is owned by John and Lorraine Thompson, owners of Harvey World Travel in Darwin and the Harvey World Travel franchise in Dili. John Thompson has refused to discuss the TAS issue, saying it is a matter for local management.

You can express your solidarity with our East Timorese comrades by attending Monday's picket and by emailing the company on lmodoh.darwin@harveyworld.com.au demanding reinstatement of the sacked workers and that the company bargain in good faith and respect the laws of East Timor. Or Phone: 08 89814088 or Fax: 08 8941 3828

Please pass this message on to other interested parties.

Didge McDonald Industrial Officer / Organiser Liquor, Hospitality & Miscellaneous Workers Union ph. 08 8981 5611

VOICE YOUR CONCERNS: The following Australian companies use TAS to serve their business operations in East Timor:

Skippers Aviation (WA-based) Mining charters Rob Swann, General Manager rswann@skipper.com.au skippers@skipper.com.au ph: 08 9478 3989, fx: 08 9478 3184

Pel-Air (NSW-based) Freight and mining charters information@pelair.com.au ph: 02 9669 35555, fx: 02 9317 5505

Adagold (QLD-based) Charter serving the Australian Defense Force Bernard Cheah, General Manager bcheah@adagold.com.au brisbaneops@adagold.com.au ph: 07 3860 4777, fx: 07 3860 4777, m: 0418 866 7000

Air North (NT-based) Michael Bridge, CEO michael_bridge@airnorth.com.au ph: 08 8920 4000, fx: 8920 4095

Pearl Aviation (NT office) Medical evacuations, services to Territory Health Fergus O'Branagain, NT Regional Manager fobranagain@pearlav.com.au ph: 08 8920 6600, fx: 08 8945 3668, m: 0418 951 568

Vincent Aviation (NZ-based) Serving UN, ADF, NZDF, aid agencies Peter Vincent info@vincentair.com ph: +64 4388 8983, fx: +64 4388 9993

Qantas Airlines (Aus national air carrier) Geoff Dixon, CEO Kevin Brown, EGM Human Resources Fiona Balfour, EGM Information Services ph: 02 9691 3636 ask for customer relations qantasmedia@qantas.com.au

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jim Mellor jmellor@austarnet.com.au nteunion@cyllene.uwa.edu.au

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