Sugar strikes: Wilmar to put new enterprise agreement (EA) to employee vote

Wilmar employees will have the chance to vote on a “new, three-year enterprise agreement”, the sugar company has confirmed.

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Victoria Mill on the outskirts of Ingham in the Herbert River district on Monday. Picture: Cameron Bates

Wilmar employees will have the chance to vote on a “new, three-year enterprise agreement”, the sugar company has confirmed.

A Wilmar Sugar and Renewables spokesman said on Wednesday that the new EA offer included $2500 cash upfront, minus tax and super, and total wage rises of 16 per cent.

The company, Australia’s largest sugar producer, said the first two wage increases, totalling 12 per cent, would be paid by Christmas this year.

The company offer will be put to a ballot on 12 and 13 September in the hope of avoiding a costly arbitration process that could run into next year.

The spokesman said the offer also included a $25 a week allowance for tradespeople using an electrical licence and 35 permanent job offers to existing seasonal or fixed-term employees.

“If the offer is accepted, 1300 Wilmar employees covered by the EA will receive an 8 per cent increase in their first full pay after the ballot, another 4 per cent in December this year, and a further 4 per increase in December next year,” he said.

“The $2,500 bonus would be paid in the first full pay period after a successful ballot.”

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Victoria Mill on the outskirts of Ingham in the Herbert River district on Monday. Picture: Cameron Bates

The spokesman said the offer should address workers’ concerns about cost of living.

“The wage increases offered exceed forecast inflation rates for the term of the EA,” he said.

“The Reserve Bank of Australia and other economic forecasters predict inflation will drop below 3 per cent in 2025 and 2026.

Our offer is for wage increases of 4% in both those years, and an annual average of 5.33 per cent over the term of the agreement.”

The spokesman said there was too much “economic uncertainty” for all parties to confidently agree wages beyond 2026.

“Under this proposal, the next EA would be negotiated in 2026 when there’s more information and confidence about economic conditions moving into 2027.”

He said Wilmar’s EA proposal reflected advice offered by Fair Work Commissioner Bernie Riordan in a non-binding recommendation last month.

“We are offering the average annual wage increase of 5.3% that Commissioner Riordan recommended to both Tully and us,” he said.

“The incremental, three-year wage increases in our offer are also the same as those Commissioner Riordan recommended to both workforces.

“Tully Sugar workers voted yes, and we hope to see the same result.”

It is understood that further industrial action involving about 1300 of Wilmar’s 2000 employees across its eight sugar mills is planned for Friday and Monday, with wet weather further impacting the already critically delayed cane harvest.

The stand-off between Wilmar and its employees has brought widespread criticism from politicians and canegrowers, with major concerns about the impact on the North Queensland economy.

The Australian Workers Union was left unimpressed.

“As usual, Wilmar have presented another take it or leave it offer, with no genuine negotiation or attempt to engage with their workforce,” AWU Northern District Secretary Jim Wilson said.

“This is the same arrogant way they treat our sugar communities.”

He said Wilmar’s “greed and arrogance has caused so much damage to the sugar industry, and it’s understandable why most of the industry wants them gone.”

“We will discuss this offer with our members and allow them to direct us on the way forward.”

Originally published as Sugar strikes: Wilmar to put new enterprise agreement (EA) to employee vote