MEDIA ALERT
Jacob’s Creek winery workers strike over pour working conditions
WHEN: 3 pm today, Wednesday 24 July.
WHERE: Pernod Ricard Winemakers, 1914 Barossa Valley Way, Rowland Flat SA 5352
WHAT: Winery workers strike in the Barossa
More than 120 winery workers in regional South Australia who produce iconic brands Jacob’s Creek and St Hugo, will stop work for 4-hours this afternoon to discuss the future of their jobs. The Pernod Ricard workers are in the middle of negotiating their next workplace agreement.
But with Accolade Wines agreeing to acquire Pernod Ricard’s Australian businesses last week, ambiguity around the impact of the deal on workers has left many feeling uncertain during a cost-of-living crisis.
Pernod Ricard is trying to use the sale of its Australian businesses to force a short-term, low-wage deal on workers who are in the middle of enterprise bargaining.
Bryan Fry, Pernod Ricard’s Australian CEO, visited the Barossa processing site, but left workers with more questions than answers about their futures.
The multi-million dollar producer recorded a global net profit of $5.6 billion in 2023, while the global CEO pocketed $3.7 million in 2022.
Over the last 3 years, CPI has gone up almost 16% and Pernod Ricard workers’ wages have gone up a mere 7% – it is clear that inflation has massively outstripped these workers’ wages.
UWU National Secretary Tim Kennedy said a fair deal is vital to maintaining decent jobs on which regional South Australian communities depend.
“I’m tasting key notes of corporate greed,” Mr Kennedy said.
“Profits have been driven by rising prices, yet winery workers haven’t been given a comparable pay rise.
“Whilst the CEO at Pernod Ricard sits on an eye-watering salary, workers are struggling to pay their bills.
“United Workers Union members around the country have had to push very hard for cost-of-living wage increases over the last two years.
“These winery jobs sustain our regional communities. For every dollar that is earned, it goes right back into the local community.
“Our whole union is behind the workers at Pernod Ricard, they’re on strike together today, but they’re part of a movement of workers that are saying enough is enough.”
ENDS
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