United Workers Union National Secretary Tim Kennedy regarding today’s negotiations in Woolworths warehouse workers strike:
“Woolworths warehouse workers are still talking to Woolworths about resolving the current strike.
“United Workers Union is committed to advancing the safety of its members through these negotiations, and Woolworths should be listening to them in this process.
“Warehouse workers have been engaged in good faith negotiations for almost seven months as they have raised concerns about the punitive framework that expects workers to achieve a 100 per cent bench mark, 100 per cent of the time, pushing them into unsafe work practices as they rush to meet deadlines. They are also fighting for a fair pay rise.
“In terms of shortages on shelves and Woolworths’ statements about the impact of the strike, we have consistently said that Woolworths is in a position to end this strike right now by agreeing to a reasonable outcome with workers – and they should do so today.
“Business groups may well come out and support the dangerous, inhumane and unsafe productivity framework but you can bet they are not being marked out of 100 in real time every time they perform a task.
“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.
“Woolworths have been gouging families at the check out and gouging workers in their pay packet for too long.”