TRANSPORT Workers’ Union (TWU) protests against Qube have proceeded in Melbourne, despite the Western Australian branch withdrawing from proposed industrial action.
A small group of TWU members gathered at Qube’s Altona North site in Victoria from 5am this morning, after an overwhelming majority of union members voted in favour of protected industrial action earlier this month. The protest was disbanded before noon.
Victorian director for organising Sam Lynch said workers’ wages were falling behind.
“Qube, who have recorded year-on-year profit increases, need to come back to the negotiation table and get serious,” he said.
A statement from TWU said: “The union is fighting for improvements to pay, conditions, and a united transport industry, whilst Qube has refused to listen to workers’ demands for a better deal.”
The Victorian branch is set to consolidate its enterprise agreement with Qube into one national contract.
High-skilled transport workers are crucial in the supply chain for the production of Coca-Cola, Asahi beer, Mondelēz chocolates and plastic products.
“Some drivers participating in the strike have not seen a fair wage increase since 2022, with wages falling behind inflation and going backwards in real terms,” the TWU statement said.
However, Qube has hit back.
The company confirmed its WA employees had accepted the wage offer and withdrew from Wednesday’s planned industrial action.
“It is disappointing that the union are trying to mount a phony scare campaign rather than engaging in good faith negotiations in the interests of the workers,” a spokesperson said.
“The truth is the TWU rejected a wage offer that would have seen workers covered by agreements in Victoria and WA achieve a wage increase of more than 12% over the next three years, and then they walked away from the negotiating table.
“We urge the union to urgently resume negotiations so that we can resolve this dispute in the best interests of workers.”
Qube also confirmed there was no impact to deliveries or the operation of the Victorian site as a result of industrial action.