More than 1,400 employees of Saputo, Fonterra, Peters and Lactalis want wage rise of ‘5% or so’ to keep up with cost of living.
More than 1,400 Victorian dairy workers will walk off the job to fight for better pay and conditions.
The processing workers from dairy companies Saputo, Fonterra, Peters and Lactalis plan to strike for 48 hours from Wednesday.
The United Workers Union (UWU) said the companies had refused to offer fair wages and improved working conditions amid rising living costs.
“Workers don’t make this decision lightly,” said the UWU’s national secretary, Tim Kennedy.
“They’re not even asking for a wage increase that matches inflation, just 5% or so that gets them a little closer to being able to keep up with skyrocketing costs.”
Along with the wage increase, workers want personal leave accommodating their 12-hour shift pattern and community service leave for helping in natural disasters.
The union has acknowledged the industrial action will lead to disruptions for the dairy sector.
But Kennedy said the dairy companies were vital to many regional Victorian communities, so the strike was necessary.
“It’s about safeguarding the heartbeat of our regional communities,” he said.
Fonterra’s supply chain director, Rob Howell, said the company had a “fair and reasonable offer” on the table for workers, with a minimum 10.5% salary increase over three years and more leave options.
Fonterra would ensure there were minimal disruptions from the industrial action, he said.
“Our farmers will continue milking and we will be doing everything we can to ensure that their precious, perishable milk can be collected and not wasted,” Howell said.
Saputo was committed to resolving outstanding items with union representatives “amicably and swiftly”, its operations director, Gerard Lourey, said.
The company is also putting contingency measures in place to minimise disruptions.
A Peters spokesperson said the company was surprised by the “unnecessary union-led blanket action”.
“The business and its employees have continued to negotiate in good faith and remain open to do so,” they said.
“Peters offers the best employment conditions in the ice-cream industry, paying its factory workers 70 to 80% above award.”
Lactalis has been approached for comment.
