WHEN: 11:30 am TODAY Wednesday 16 June, 2021

WHERE: 16 Kellogg Road, Rooty Hill NSW 2766

WHAT: Striking General Mills workers host a wage crisis forum with expert economists.

WHO: John Falzon, Senior Fellow in Inequality and Social Justice at Per Capita and national CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society from 2006 to 2018. Jo Schofield, United Workers Union President. David Richardson, Senior Research Fellow. Sally McManus, ACTU Secretary.

After almost two weeks on strike without pay, workers are holding a 24-hour protest outside the General Mills factory.

These workers know this fight is much bigger than just them. They have invited experts and economists to host a forum live from the strike about the negative effects of wage stagnation on our economy. An act of workers taking matters into their own hands because the Morrison Government has failed to act.

General Mills, which produces popular food brands such as Old El Paso and Latina Fresh, is an American based multinational corporation which recorded a revenue of US$17.6 billion last year.

Despite their success the company is trying to further entrench job insecurity, remove workers’ rights and increase obligations for weekend work while refusing a decent pay rise for workers.

Quotes attributable to John Falzon, Senior Fellow in Inequality and Social Justice at Per Capita:

“The recession has translated into personal pain for workers while simultaneously translating into profit growth for the big corporations. General Mills, one of the world’s largest food manufacturing companies, has increased its profits by 40% over the last five years. So how does trickle-down economics work again? By offering these essential workers a 1.5% pay rise? Nowhere is the evidence more blatant that wealth does not trickle down.

“We’re expected to celebrate because profits are growing and meanwhile working people are finding it hard to pay rent. If you are an essential worker who actually kept the economy going in the height of COVID, there’s little to celebrate and not enough money to celebrate with.

“Despite Scott Morrison’s outpouring of adoration in the last twelve months for the workers who kept the economy going, even at risk to their own lives, the workers who are on strike at General Mills in Rooty Hill, in the outer-west of Sydney, are yet to see any support from the Prime Minister.”

NOTE: Everyone attending this event will be expected to adhere to the COVID Safe Plan in place at the site.

ENDS 

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