Bill Shorten talking with Rosella workers.
Rosella workers
ABOUT 70 workers made jobless by the closure of the Rosella factory in Seven Hills have been told they will get their entitlements within weeks instead of months.
In a meeting at Blacktown Workers Club on Thursday Workplace Relations Minister Bill Shorten said he had fast-tracked $1.6 million to ensure workers would be paid their outstanding entitlements by April.
‘‘You will know by at least this Easter that you’ll be able to buy your kids hot cross buns and Easter eggs,’’ he said.
The workers, who received their last pay last week, were told the receivers had failed to find a buyer for the plant.
Some complained to Mr Shorten that Rosella hadn’t made any superannuation payments in the six months before going bankrupt in December.
One worker claimed she was owed more than $10,000 in superannuation, which wasn’t covered by the government’s Fair Entitlements Guarantee.
Many workers were not impressed by Mr Shorten’s political pitch and said they would have been ignored if the Coalition had been in government.
Another worker who has been made redundant five times over the years said Prime Minister Julia Gillard should have attended the meeting.
Mr Shorten said there was no need for the Prime Minister to come, saying he and Greenway MP Michelle Rowland and Toongabbie MP Nathan Rees were there to assist.
Ferrier Hodgson partner and Rosella receiver Jim Sarantinos, who did not attend last week, thanked staff for their efforts throughout the receivership.