Protest wins Kiwis work at Games

SYDNEY - About 80 of 600 New Zealanders who came to Sydney expecting to work as Olympic security guards will get their paperwork fast-tracked after a demonstration yesterday outside the headquarters of Games organiser Socog, an Australian union said.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), which does not normally cover general security guards, took up their case after they contacted one of the union's organisers, who is a New Zealander.

The 77 had come to Sydney after being recruited by Australian hire firm Col-Net Training Services, but found themselves without jobs because they did not have proper licences.

After they met union delegates and performed a haka at the Sydney Trades Hall, some of them went to Socog's headquarters in inner-city Ultimo.

After negotiations inside the building, a Socog official came out to address the demonstrators, union spokesman Phil Davey said.

"Apparently it wasn't Socog's fault, but Socog has promised these people that it will expedite their paperwork as a matter of urgency," Mr Davey said.

"These 77 workers affected are starting work on Monday, so their Olympic dream will be realised."

Meanwhile journalists from Sydney's biggest newspaper, the Sydney Morning Herald, have gone on strike for 24 hours over stalled wages negotiations and Sydney taxi drivers are causing a commotion because the State Government has agreed they can lift their fares during the Olympics - but by 10 per cent, not the 20 per cent they wanted.

- NZPA

Herald Online Olympic News