Workers walk after Mayne stalls on pay rises
| What: | Doorstop at worker strike and rally |
| Where: | Mayne Pharma, 1538 Main N Rd, Salisbury South SA 5106 |
| When: | Tuesday 20 September at 10:00am |
| Who: | UWU Allied coordinator Louise Dillon, CEPU Organiser Simon Pisoni and Mayne Pharma workers |
| Contact: | UWU Media: 1300 898 633, [email protected] |
Advanced manufacturing workers at South Australia’s Mayne Pharma have begun striking following a below-inflation pay offer from the multi-million-dollar pharmaceutical company.
United Workers Union (UWU) members began strike action at 6:00am today as part of protected industrial action and will continue the stop-work for 24 hours.
ASX-listed Mayne Pharma has endured some financial woes as a result of poor management and uncertainty in the US market, but the company was soon to receive a windfall in cash after it sold its American arm for $680 million last month.
In an effort to bargain in good faith and work around some of the difficulties being felt by the company the union agreed to roll over the current agreement in exchange for a CPI pay rise.
Despite the company’s losses the outgoing chief executive Scott Richards pocketed more than $3 million for the year and held more than 20 million in shares
UWU Allied coordinator Louise Dillon said the workers were being restrained in only pursuing a CPI wage increase.
“On one hand workers are being told the company can’t afford a reasonable pay rise while at the same time granting eye-watering incentives and salaries to its executive staff,” Ms Dillon said.
“These workers have showed up during the height of the pandemic and through the ongoing turmoil of Australia’s weakened supply chains for pretty ordinary wages. Companies like Mayne Pharma need to stop trading on the good-will of the workers and start putting their hand in their pocket.
“They are not asking to sit in the Chairman’s Lounge quaffing champagne with Mr Richards, they simply want a wage increase which will not see their finances go backward, to keep up with the ever-increasing cost-of-living.
“The majority of the workers taking action and fighting for a better deal today have worked at Mayne for upwards of twenty years. A pay rise in-line with CPI is really the least the company can offer.”
Members reserve the right to take more industrial action in the event Mayne Pharma does not return to the bargaining table with a fair offer.