03 Sep 2007 update: The Secretariat has been informed that workers of TNT Shared Services Pty Limited, Australia have today voted no to a non-union agreement. The Australian Services Union (ASU) will meet with its members at the main site in Sydney on Wednesday 5 September where they will attempt to meet with management to reinforce the members' wish for a union agreement.  Under current Australian law the management can hold another round of voting quickly. The workers at TNT and the union organisers were immensely proud and moved to receive the messages of solidarity from unions around the world. Please continue to send your messages of solidarity to the union (see below).

31 Aug 2007
Workers in TNT Australia need your support

The ITF is asking unions to support men and women working for TNT in Australia, who are threatened with a new, non-union contract offering worse conditions.

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Workers in Australia are in dispute over plans by their employer, one of the "big four" logistics firms, to introduce a new inferior non-union contract.

The workers, members of the ITF-affiliated Australian Services Union  (ASU) - three-quarters of whom are women - received details this week from their employer, TNT Shared Services Pty Limited, of plans to introduce a new contract to replace a union-backed agreement, which expired recently. Head office workers, such as receptionists and administration workers will be affected by the contract.

The new contract introduces a number of adjustments to working conditions including an increase in hours without any significant wage rise and the removal of the right to some public holidays.

Workers have organised a petition urging the company to negotiate the terms of the contract with the union. More than 75 per cent of affected employees have signed it. However, the company remains intransigent.

The union is now lobbying for a "no vote".