UPDATED: AWU delegates to meet on Monday to discuss further industrial action

Negotiations between the AWU and GrainCorp have stalled, with union delegates to discuss further industrial action at a meeting on Monday.

UPDATED Friday, 11am: The Australian Workers Union says it will meet with delegates again on Monday to discuss further possible work stoppages by GrainCorp employees.

“The action will continue until GrainCorp comes to the table with an acceptable offer,” AWU NSW branch secretary Tony Callinan said.

Mr Callinan said the AWU had made it clear to GrainCorp that it was prepared to meet with management again, however, there are no current meetings scheduled at this stage.

“Workers have started the one-hour stoppages, and at Narrabri, there were more than 40 trucks lined up,” Mr Callinan said.

“We have also had stoppages that have delayed trains from being loaded and we are prepared to ramp up that action as time goes on.”

GrainCorp declined to comment on the industrial action that has been taking place since Tuesday.

Mr Callinan said the dispute had come down to negotiations over an increase of 30c an hour.

Commenting after the Fair Work meeting last Friday, GrainCorp head of corporate affairs Jess Simons said the company’s offer of 14 per cent over three years was not accepted by the Australian Workers Union delegates.

The conciliation meeting was held after 200 workers said they would start industrial action.

“We put forward an offer of 14 per cent over three years, an increase in the sign-on bonus to $1000 and back pay to July 1, 2024. However, this offer was not accepted,” Ms Simons said.

“It’s deeply disappointing that rather than seizing the opportunity to resolve the dispute, the AWU has decided to escalate the process towards protected industrial action at the most important time of year for NSW growers and their businesses.

“As well as continuing negotiations with all our employees, we are focused on minimising the impact of any industrial action on growers as our key customers, our business and the communities in which we operate.”

Meanwhile, Mr Callinan said it wasn’t just the standard of pay but also the working conditions and facilities to which the workers were subject.

“GrainCorp is making hundreds of millions in profit and has underestimated the workforce,” he said.

Harvest has started for 2024 in northern NSW, Queensland and Western Australia. Picture: Zoe Phillips

Mr Callinan said workers had experienced a negative pay system.

In 2021, 2022 and 2023 grain handlers received an annual increase of only 2 per cent a year, despite inflation rising at a rate of 2.86 per cent, 6.59 per cent and 4.10 per cent respectively, meaning real wages have declined by 7.5 per cent.

The union cited figures of profits for the company stating that in 2021 GrainCorp made a profit of $139 million, in 2022 of $177 million and $250 million in 2023.