Statement attributable to United Workers Union National Secretary Tim Kennedy:
“Members of United Workers Union are very clear that while Woolworths punitive productivity ‘framework’ is still in play, safety is not being taken seriously by one of the country’s largest private sector employers in one of the most dangerous industries for workers.
“We have raised it in meetings, and we have raised it on the shop floor: treating workers like robots is unacceptable, and addressing the framework is the first priority of our members.
“The fact we have not reached agreement around this issue after 11 days of strike action suggests one of the country’s largest private sector employers cares more about profits than workers’ safety.
“Breaking a strike at 6am when the Union and Woolworths are set to meet at 9am is just bad faith and nothing more. Woolworths should focus on negotiating a fair outcome rather than escalating industrial conflict.
“Woolworths have been gouging families at the check out and gouging workers in their pay packet for too long. This is already an incredibly profitable and productive company. There’s no excuse for Woolworths not to move on the framework, pay workers fairly, and end this strike.
“While retail workers have a separate relationship with Woolworths and have agreed to a workplace agreement principally around pay, Woolworths is once again missing the point. Retail workers are not yet exposed to the dangerous, inhumane and unsafe productivity framework, with punishment doled out if warehouse workers fail to meet a 100% performance target every day under the framework.
“The other union referred to by Woolworths, which largely represents retail workers, has less than ten members affected by the framework in this dispute, compared to the 1500 United Workers Union members on strike.
“Workers are fighting against Woolworths’ extreme framework, and UWU will continue to back in members and fight for what is important to workers. A safe workplace that treats workers as humans, not robots, and fair pay increases to help workers survive the ever-growing cost of living, is what is needed to end this strike.”