Support Toll workers’ strike against substandard wages and conditions
500 workers at the Coles distribution centre in Somerton, in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, will start an indefinite strike from 6am on Tuesday 10 July. They are demanding equal pay and conditions with other Coles warehouse workers (see below).

Join the community assembly
When ordinary workers are up against a giant corporation like Coles, they need help and solidarity from all of us!

From 6am on Tuesday 10 July, there will be a peaceful community assembly outside the Coles Somerton distribution centre, Union Road (near corner of Somerton Road), Somerton. (Melways ref 180 C9)

The community assembly will run 24 hours a day until the workers achieve their demands. Please come and show your support.

Car Pooling:
Socialist Alternative is organising a car pool system. Every day of the dispute, we will be gathering people and cars at Trades Hall at 12 noon and 6pm to head out to Somerton. If you would like a lift with the car pool (or if you can drive others), call Liz on 0405 736 265.

Public Transport:
The nearest train station is Roxburgh Park, in zone two on the Craigieburn line. From the station walk back to Somerton Road, and over the railway bridge to the warehouse on the corner of Union Road and Somerton Road. The community assembly will be a short walk up Union Road. The walk from the station is 20 to 30 minutes.

Why the workers deserve support
Coles raked in $1.8 billion in profit last year, and pay their chief executive more than $15 million per year. Toll Logistics, who employ the workers at the huge Coles warehouse in Somerton, made a profit of nearly $300 million last year.

Coles outsource this warehouse to Toll, who pay the workers at Somerton up to 20% less pay than other Coles warehouse workers. They get no rostered day off, and no shift loading for most of their afternoon and night shifts. Rights for casual employees and for union reps are inferior to other Coles warehouses.

Workers at Coles Somerton are members of the National Union of Workers. They have decided that there is no reason for them to accept a cut-price deal. They are striking to demand the same pay and conditions as other Coles warehouse workers.

For more information

Visit the Coles Somerton workers’ facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/tolleba

There is also an article on the Socialist Alternative website:

http://www.sa.org.au/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=7383:toll-work...

And there is background on the NUW website:

http://www.nuw.org.au/get-involved/campaigns/toll-in2store-somerton-eba-...