Following a number of work stoppages, a meatworks in Queensland’s Ipswich has will close completely on Friday, as workers fight for a four per cent annual pay rise to be included in a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
Management at JBS Australia’s Dinmore meatworks said the decision by workers to walk off the job for four hours on Friday will mean the entire plant will have to be closed all day.
Those who do strike will not be paid for the day.
The meatworks is the largest private company in Ipswich, with 2000 employees.
Members of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) began a ban on working overtime in May as part of their fight for the four per cent payrise, and when they did not get the response they wanted, began a number of two-hour stoppages earlier this month.
Last Thursday and Friday AMIEU members conducted four-hour strikes, and tomorrow’s planned action will be met with a total closure by the company.
"Unfortunately, the industrial action was extended to four hours on Thursday, June 21, for the night shift and on Friday for the day shift," JBS Australia director and manager of corporate and regulatory affairs John Berry said.
"We will stop operations completely this Friday because a four-hour stoppage causes animal welfare issues and food safety issues and the viability of the whole shift is affected."
Berry wouldn’t speculate about the impact of ongoing stoppages on shifts and said representatives from JBS will meet with reps from AMIEU in an attempt to reach a compromise.
"We've put the three per cent offer on the table, but anything more than that is not commercially viable in terms of the long-term operation of the Dinmore meatworks," Berry said.
"We constantly discuss these issues with the on-site delegate and the union."
AMIEU state secretary Brian Crawford said he was unaware of any official plans by JBS to shut down the plant in response to the workers strike.
"As far as I'm aware the lockout has only been presented as a possibility, but it won't affect future stoppages," he said.
"The issues continue to be a four per cent pay increase, improved employment continuity, guaranteed "no disadvantage" in respect of public holidays due to flexible rostering and payment of reasonable penalty rates (30%) when working additional days.