Lacking In Heart

Newcastle Herald

Saturday March 11, 2000

FORMER National Textiles employees have shamed themselves and the Hunter with their decision yesterday not to allow the immediate release of fabric urgently needed by a Queensland clothing firm.

The 80 workers at the Gympie factory in question have seen their working days reduced from nine a fortnight to three a week since the National Textiles plant at Rutherford closed its doors on January 21.

The Gympie factory has now run out of work and needs the fireproof cotton drill, which was made in Australia only by National Textiles, to save the jobs of its employees.

Yet the former National Textiles workers, the people who could be most expected to appreciate the Gympie workers' plight, have refused to release the fabric until the deed of arrangement guaranteeing their own payouts is signed.

This is expected to happen on Monday. In that event, the former National Textiles employees will meet again at 5pm on Monday and probably decide to let the fabric be transported to Gympie.

The view of picketers who yesterday supported continuing the ban was that a delay of a couple more days wouldn't make much difference to the Queensland factory's situation.

But, as a representative of the Gympie firm pointed out, the added delay is significant.

Even if the picketers decide late on Monday to release the cloth, it will be late in the week before it arrives at the Queensland factory. The factory and its workers will virtually be idle for another week.

Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union organiser Steve Davies told the picketers yesterday their action was `bloody-minded'. He also said it was the `height of selfishness'.

He took the view that the deed of arrangement was so close to being signed that the former employees should show compassion for fellow workers in the industry and immediately release the fabric that would help to keep them in a job.

And, as he pointed out, the fabric's $140,000 value was only a small part of the $11.2million the former National Textiles workers are owed in entitlements. On top of that, the $140,000 was to be paid immediately and put into a trust fund for the ex-employees.

Mr Davies was the union official who urged the ex-employees to set up a picket line on January 25. The fact that he was the person recommending an easing of the ban should have been seen by the picketers as confidence that they would soon get their entitlements.

No-one could deny that the 342 former National Textiles workers and their families have suffered physically, emotionally and financially since the company closed its doors seven weeks ago.

However, they have been more fortunate than most people who have found themselves in a similar traumatic situation. Thanks to political intervention, they will receive all of their entitlements. The company's creditors, by contrast, will be paid a pittance.

?sk,3 The ex-employees also have received heartfelt community support, with donations of food, clothing and tens of thousands of dollars. It's about time they showed some heart and sympathy for others whose jobs they could help to save.?sk

Youth royale

THERE will be a lot of fingers crossed as the new Newcastle Youth Centre in the Palais Royale goes about its business in coming months. Previous attempts at setting up such centres have been short-lived, with young people soon losing interest in the activities.

In this case, however, young people are doing most of the planning and scheduling rather than well-meaning mature adults. With greater youth involvement and a better variety of activities it will hopefully serve more than one generation of young people.