MELBOURNE: The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union and Pacific Brands have again gone head to head with the former accusing the latter of moving government-funded machinery offshore.
Union and community supporters today (May 29) gathered at Melbourne's Swanston Dock in protest at what it said was Pac Brands' attempt to "sneak" the machinery out of the country.
TCFUA national secretary Michele O'Neil said machinery from Pac Brands' Nunawading factory had been secretly moved off the site last night and was due to sail out of Australia today.
Pacific Brands denied the claim but admitted sending 16 sewing machines to its Berlei plant in Indonesia.
Pac Brands chief executive Sue Morphet said the sewing machines were bought by the company without any government subsidies.
"There are sewing machines that are not in use in Australia and have not been for some time. It is cheaper for us to move them to our Indonesian plant than to purchase new ones."
Morphet said staff had been kept fully informed about the move.