Today MUA National Officer Mich-Elle Myers presented a donation to the striking Exxon/UGL (Esso) workers who have been fighting wage cuts without pay for 349 days.

The donation comes from the Maritime Union of Australia and the CFMEU Victorian-Tasmanian Branch.

Myers, who is visiting the workers today in Longford, regional Victoria, says the dispute is the most significant workplace battle in Australia right now.

“What happened to these workers is no less than corporate bastardry. Exxon and their contractor UGL used a dodgy agreement to try and cut the wages of these workers. It’s just like CUB or VICT, where management orchestrates a wage-slashing EBA that the workers themselves never agreed to.”

“We’re proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Longford workers. Almost a year fighting corporate greed deserves recognition and ongoing support.”

“What’s happening here could happen to any group of workers as long as the laws remain broken. We need to change the rules so employers like Exxon don’t have any loopholes to cut our wages.”

The dispute is heating up after Exxon security banned delegates from asking questions at the global shareholders’ meeting in Dallas last week. Hundreds of unionists will descend on the Longford gas plant on 28 June to mark the one year anniversary of the dispute beginning.