Cochlear shareholders and board members got a dose of workers’ rights this week as workers from the company’s Lane Cove manufacturing facility brought their campaign for union representation to the Annual General Meeting.

AMWU New South Wales Assistant Secretary Tim Ayres said that Cochlear workers had consistently voted to have the union represent them in wage negotiations, but had been ignored.

“Under WorkChoices, the Cochlear workers are at the mercy of their employer. If the boss agrees to union involvement, they can have it; if the boss says ‘No’ then they can’t.”

The company is refusing to negotiate a union collective agreement and the mainly migrant workforce have been told they must accept individual contracts by November 6 or not to turn up to work on November 7.

“It is astounding that Cochlear would be so quick to negotiate massive pay rises with its board members as announced at the AGM but deny its workers the same right,” said Mr Ayres. 

“Our call to Cochlear is to explain to shareholders why they have one set of rules for its directors and another for its workers on the production line, who help the company achieve its record profits every year.

“The proposal to shareholders to increase the maximum remuneration for board members from $500,000 to $1 500,000 smacks of hypocrisy.”

The AGM protest was not the first time Cochlear shareholders have been forced to question their company’s stance on workers’ rights.

Cochlear workers from the Lane Cove facility have been appearing on Australian TV screens each night as part of the ACTU’s ‘Real people – real stories’ advertising campaign.

In the ad, Cochlear worker Luke Mason says, ‘the company want us on individual contracts but we want the union to represent us, the laws have taken away our right to choose’.

AMWU activists also distributed a letter from the Cochlear workers to all shareholders calling for their support.