Workers reject 3% pay offer

INDUSTRIAL action at the Dinmore meatworks will temporarily stop despite workers voting down a company proposed pay rise.

INDUSTRIAL action at the Dinmore meatworks will temporarily stop despite workers voting down a company proposed pay rise.

More than 54% of workers at the abattoir voted against JBS Swift's proposed annual pay rise of 3%.

The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) is calling for a 4% annual increase for abattoir workers.

AMIEU state secretary Brian Crawford said the union decided last week to end work stoppages for two weeks.

"We decided that we'd put a stop to action as a show of good faith to the company," he said.

"We won't be conducting work stoppages for two weeks."

Mr Crawford said a clear majority of workers voted down the meatworks operator's proposal.

"The company weren't prepared to move from their position and believed their proposal would be accepted if we put it to a ballot.

"We did that and it was voted down by a clear majority of about 54.5% of workers."

JBS Swift director and manager of corporate and regulatory affairs John Berry confirmed the workers had declined the company's offer.

"We put a good offer on the table and it was declined," he said.

Mr Crawford said there had been no further negotiations with the company since the workers voted down the proposal.

"There hasn't been any meeting with the company," he said.

"We've stopped action as a show of good faith but the company hasn't initiated any meetings.

"We remain open to negotiations with JBS."

Mr Crawford said the union would look at its options following the break in work stoppages if negotiations failed to progress.

Since the pay dispute began in May between there have been a series of union and company initiated work stoppages.

Big employer

The Dinmore meatworks is Ipswich's biggest private employer with almost 2000 workers.

The meatworks is owned by Brazilian company JBS; the largest beef producing company in the world.

Originally published as Workers reject 3% pay offer