Brewery workers who manufacture Queensland’s iconic XXXX beer are on strike today, accusing the company of trying to strip essential workers of key entitlements in a cost-of-living crisis.
Quotes attributable to United Workers Union Food and Beverage Director Mel Gatfield:
“The beer that has been a fundamental part of Queensland for more than a century has been crafted by workers who should be fairly rewarded for their labour. Yet the owners of XXXX are trying to strip workers’ conditions and refusing to meet workers’ reasonable demands for a pay rise.
“When XXXX production ramps up for the forthcoming State of Origin, Queenslanders should be able to enjoy a cold one in the knowledge XXXX workers are being looked after, not being stood over. These workers don’t want to be on strike but they are proud to stand up for what is right.
“Workers want their reasonable demands for a pay rise to be heard, and they want to keep hard-fought-for conditions they have had for more than a decade.”
Quotes attributable to ETU State Organiser Scott Reichman:
“For ETU members this unanimously supported action is about addressing cost of living pressures through reasonable wage increases, and ensuring that apprentices employed at XXXX after years of neglect are not employed simply as cheap exploitable labour.
“Union members on site at XXXX have a proud history of doing what it takes to keep beer flowing for thirsty Queenslanders. They have been flexible in times like COVID, floods and other disasters, they have consistently busted their arse to get the plant back up and running, and taken lower offers to ensure viability. Now this is the thanks they get.
“The agreement on the table does not address the real wage cuts suffered during those times. And to add insult to injury this wealthy multinational company is proposing that after years of not training apprentices, they now want to deny apprentices allowances and bonuses paid to all other workers on site.”
Background:
- United Workers Union and Electrical Trades Union members at the XXXX brewery at 20 Paten St, Milton, are on strike for 24 hours from 6am today.
- The company has refused workers’ demands for a 15 per cent pay rise across three years.
- Workers say they wish to keep existing conditions around personal leave, which has been in place for more than a decade.
- However the company is seeking to impose new conditions when workers access personal leave for significant health issues.
- Workers say the existing conditions allow members to address significant health issues while also allowing the company considerable oversight of their progress.
- Workers are pushing for apprentices to be treated fairly when they are brought on to work permanently at the site.