Union alleges Woolies’ tactics hampering pay deal prospects

The United Workers Union says Woolworths is impeding a settlement of their bitter dispute by insisting on four different sets of negotiations.

A picket line continues in Dandenong South at a distribution centre for Woolworths ahead of a Fair Work commission hearing on Friday. Picture: David Crosling

The United Workers Union has accused Woolworths of impeding a settlement of their bitter dispute by insisting on four different sets of negotiations, despite there being universal issues covering the four striking distribution centres.

Woolworths is vehemently opposed to the union bid for a single national deal to cover 1500 workers at the four warehouses, insisting negotiations be held with different union delegates at each of the four locations.

UWU national secretary Tim Kennedy said the company strategy had slowed progress in the ­negotiations and the union would have preferred a more co-ordinated discussion.

Ahead of a critical Fair Work Commission hearing on Friday, simultaneous discussions occurred throughout Thursday between union and company representatives, with the punitive aspects of Woolworths’ performance management framework remaining a key sticking point.

Union officials are pushing for the softening of the punitive elements of the framework which, before it was put on hold, used engineered standards to discipline or even dismiss workers for not meeting company-stipulated speeds of working.

After failing to reopen a key distribution centre in Melbourne’s Dandenong South on Monday, Woolworths filed an application seeking commission orders to clear the UWU picket outside the centre.

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt on Thursday said he believed the commission was the “best avenue” to resolve the dispute and he hoped there would be “some progress before too long”.

Shelves at Woolworths supermarket have been left bare by the strike action, which has caused beer and wine shortages, and delays to home deliveries from Dan Murphy’s outlets.

UWU members have blocked the Dandenong site entry points with cars and protesters, with the company blaming the union for creating an unsafe environment for employees.

The company had claimed that a majority of workers at the Melbourne distribution centre contacted by management at the last weekend had wanted to return to work, a claim strongly denied by the union.

While workers at the four centres are pursuing “cost-of-­living wage increases” ranging from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent annually, Mr Kennedy has signalled they were prepared to consider smaller pay rises provided they were above the inflation rate.

The company has offered pay rises of 10 per cent over three years to workers at the Melbourne South Regional distribution centre; 12.1 per cent over four years to Melbourne Liquor centre workers, 7.1 per cent over two years to Wodonga centre workers and 12.05 per cent over three years to workers at the Erskine Park centre in NSW.