Australia Day - Workers picket to maintain rights and conditions
The offer is being made to the first 10 workers who sign up as the company attempts to divide workers to end the dispute at its Tullamarine plant.
Others who sign will get a bonus of $1000.
Struggling workers - facing mortgage payments, the Christmas credit card hangover and bills pouring in - said it was tempting, but they would not be able to face workmates if they took the money.
"You're between a rock and a hard place," one worker said.
"You've got to go back to work with these people, they're your mates, but it doesn't stop the bills coming in. I have a mortgage to pay."
People on the picket line, who have been locked out since December 15, said yesterday they would not take the company's offer.
"Everyone is enjoying a holiday for Australia Day because of what people like us did in the past," one worker said.
"Schweppes has launched a vicious attack on the eight-hour day, as well as trying to rob workers of their weekends — something that is sacred to all Australians as that hard-earned time to spend with friends and families," says Ben Redford, Assistant Victorian Secretary of United Voice, the Beverages Union.
"But when workers fought for their rights, Schweppes simply locked them out. These bullying tactics are the height of bastardry, but Schweppes’s workers are standing strong and are determined to keep fighting now matter how long it takes," Redford says.
"To make matters worse, Schweppes’s decided to lock out its workers at Christmas time. It could not have chosen a crueller time to launch an attack like this on the very people who work so hard to contribute to the company’s booming bottom line." he adds.
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