Wilmar pay strikes: Worker fired for alleged workplace threats

Wilmar has sacked a worker amid what it alleges are wider acts of alleged intimidation, bullying and vandalism during ongoing industrial action over pay.

Wilmar Sugar Australia's Macknade Mill, Herbert River district, Hinchinbrook. Picture: Cameron Bates

Wilmar has sacked a worker amid what it alleges are wider acts of alleged intimidation, bullying and vandalism during ongoing industrial action over pay.

The Australian Workers Union immediately fired back on Wednesday evening, saying

“Wilmar has no integrity”.

A spokeswoman for Wilmar, which employs about 2000 workers across its eight Queensland mills, said the “overwhelming majority of our people participating in stoppages and bans are doing so with respect”.

“However, we have had reports of isolated incidents of conduct that we believe is not acceptable to the majority of our people and is certainly not acceptable to the company,” she said.

“The reports involve intimidation and bullying of workers who have chosen not to take part in industrial action.”

The spokeswoman said there were also reports of vandalism to property belonging to workers not involved in industrial action.

The Herbert River sugar-cane harvest at Toobanna south of Ingham, Hinchinbrook Shire. Please attribute. Picture: Cameron Bates

She said Wilmar also had evidence of offensive graffiti on company property.

“One incident of vandalism to factory equipment was referred to police,” she said.

“This act was clearly intended to frustrate progress with preparatory work for start of production.”

The spokeswoman said an employee had been “dismissed for serious misconduct after a confrontation in the workplace involving threats”.

“We have already taken disciplinary action and one employee is no longer with the company.”

Australia’s largest sugar producer said it expected employees to live and work by a set of values and behaviours.

The spokeswoman said it valued its people and respected their rights, including their right to union membership.

“At this time, during EA negotiations we have a proportion of our people participating in industrial action and we respect their right to do so,” she said.

“We also have a proportion of our people who have made the decision to continue working to prepare our factories for start of production as soon as possible.”

AWU Northern District Secretary Jim Wilson said Wilmar’s comments were “a gross misrepresentation of what has occurred”.

“We don’t comment on our members’ private employment matters in the media,” he said.

“Wilmar had not reported these incidents to AWU officials.”

Mr Wilson said Wilmar lied to their middle managers on Tuesday about the union not moving on its position, “claiming that the union did not make the 7 percent reduction on our initial ask”.

“We suspect these are just more lies designed to distract the community from the complete disrespect shown to the sugar communities Wilmar profit from,” he said.

“The comment from Wilmar is in stark contrast to what we are hearing from the managers on the ground who have communicated that the striking workers have been nothing but respectful.”

Originally published as Wilmar pay strikes: Worker fired for alleged workplace threats