Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens slams Wilmar Sugar, unions over pay dispute

The peak industry body representing cane farmers has had a gutful of both Wilmar Sugar and unions representing mill workers during the ongoing dispute over pay.

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables' Victoria Mill fires into life at the start of the 2024 sugar-cane crush harvest on the outskirts of Ingham in the Herbert River region (Hinchinbrook) of North Queensland. Picture: Cameron Bates

The peak industry body representing cane farmers has had a “gutful” of both Wilmar Sugar and unions representing mill workers during the ongoing dispute over pay.

Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens slammed both sides in the long-running pay dispute, calling the current situation “reckless and potentially disastrous for the industry”.

He said “enough is enough”.

“Growers have had a gutful of being used as bargaining chips and not knowing from one week to the next if their mill will be crushing,” he said.

“The situation has already cost growers and contractors a lot, not just financially, but also a huge amount of ongoing stress and anxiety.”

Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens has launched a blistering attack on “both sides” of the ongoing sugar strikes. Picture: Supplied

He said both parties needed to “stop now”.

“Stop delaying a resolution, stop holding half of Queensland’s sugarcane industry to ransom, stop hurting cane-growing families, stop damaging regional communities: Just stop.”

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

Mr Menkens said Wilmar Sugar and Renewables, which operates eight sugar mills primarily in North Queensland, had already rejected recommendations from the Fair Work Commission’s non-binding conciliation process last week.

He said the move would prolong the wages stalemate, putting the dispute “on course for a binding arbitration in September”.

“In the meantime, unions have vowed to continue the rolling stoppages that have wreaked havoc on the season to date,” he said.

“This dispute has dragged on for months and both sides have been either unwilling or unable to reach a resolution.”

The Wilmar Sugar senior leadership team: head of sugar and renewables Shayne Rutherford, CEO Bernard Duignan and chief operating officer Paul Gregory.

Mr Menkens said if the sides were determined to let the Fair Work Commission’s arbitration process decide an outcome in September, then the crush should continue uninterrupted until that time.

“Letting the independent umpire decide seems like a sensible decision, as the parties are obviously incapable of negotiating the matter themselves,” he said.

“But if that’s the course we’re on, then a continuation of strike action serves no purpose ... all it will achieve is further disruption to the season and damage to the industry.”

Mr Menkens reiterated that the commission would make a decision in a month.

“Until then, let’s just get on with the crush for the good of the entire industry.”

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables spokesman said it was the company’s understanding that the informal and non-binding process facilitated by the Commission was confidential, and that “we will respect that confidentiality”.

A Wilmar spokesman said Commissioner Bernie Riordan wrote to all parties on Monday confirming that no agreement were reached during discussions.

He said the commissioner made a recommendation that “covered a number of the issues in dispute”.

“We note the commissioner’s views but do not see that we are any closer to agreement with the unions, in particular on wage increases,” he said.

“Unfortunately, that means unions are likely to continue to disrupt the crushing with industrial action, and we will continue to limit the impact as much as we can.”

The spokesman said Wilmar had been consistent in seeking a “commercially sustainable outcome from enterprise bargaining”.

“That remains our objective and our focus.”

The Australian Workers Union said that despite asking for the commission to get involved, “Wilmar is now ignoring the recommendation that the commission has provided to end the protracted industrial dispute”.

AWU Northern District Secretary Jim Wilson said the commission recommended a 21.3 per cent pay rise over four years, which included an 8 per cent pay rise and another 4 per cent on December 1.

He said the three unions had asked Wilmar to update their workforce on what they plan to do but had not received a response from the company.

“Wilmar requested to go to the commission to get assistance with bargaining with our members, claiming that they had irrefutable data that supported their position,” he said.

“Well, they’ve shown the Commission that data and they have recommended a significant pay rise.”

Mr Wilson said Wilmar had ignored its workforce by communicating the recommendation from the independent third party, saying it was a “new low”.

He said he shared the frustration of local cane growers who wanted to see their crop crushed and exported.

“Wilmar’s greed and below industry standard rates of pay are killing the industry.”

He said if its members did not make a stand now, “pretty soon there won’t be a sugar industry in the Burdekin.”

“We have been fighting for a fair pay rise now for close to a year, and we now have a recommendation from the Fair Work Commission recommending a significant pay rise for Wilmar’s workforce.”

He said Wilmar should do the right thing, end the disruption to the industry and make a “fair offer” to its workers.

“Industrial action could end tomorrow if that would occur – until then, we are going to keep fighting for the fair pay rise that our region deserves.”

Originally published as Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens slams Wilmar Sugar, unions over pay dispute