Striking workers at CBH Group’s Kwinana terminal will begin rolling stoppages next week in their bid to overhaul pay and conditions at the state’s largest grain export hub.
Striking workers at CBH Group’s Kwinana terminal will begin rolling stoppages next week in their bid to overhaul pay and conditions at the state’s largest grain export hub.
The WA branches of the Maritime Union of Australia and Electrical Trades Union are asking for a 6 per cent pay rise each year over the next three years among a suite of what at one point amounted to more than 100 claims.
CBH has put a package on the table which would see wages rise by between 2 to 2.5 per cent each year, and increase pay for additional night and rotating shifts.
“For the past five months, CBH has been negotiating in good faith with employees and the unions to reach an enterprise agreement that works for all parties, and since then have been involved in 11 formal bargaining meetings,” CBH Group chief people officer Jacky Connolly said.
“In response, the MUA and ETU reiterated their previous demand of a wage increase of 6 per cent each year over three years.
“In addition, the unions have insisted on pursuing about 70 additional claims.”
The industrial dispute has been slowly intensifying since the former enterprise bargaining agreement covering MUA and ETU members at the Kwinana site expired in May.
From Monday, unless an eleventh-hour deal is struck, union members will begin rolling 24-hour work stoppages until Saturday.
About 100 staff are understood to be covered by the action.
MUA WA organiser Daniel Piccoli said the unions had given more ground than CBH at the negotiating table to date.
“Members have dropped around 46 claims to get to this current offer, while CBH have only officially dropped three claims of their own,” he said.
“CBH mentions 70 claims outstanding, but they failed to mention the current offer only addresses seven workforce claims, nearly all being low cost claims or below what is being asked for along with a major roster change benefiting CBH.
“The members are always willing to look at alternative offers that are being put forward but the current offer is not considered acceptable.”
Next week’s planned action will coincide with the annual terminal shutdown to undertake critical maintenance ahead of the state’s grain harvesting season.
CBH will put “measures in place” to ensure the shutdown can take place effectively and safely.
Mr Connolly warned the work was important to ensure a smooth operation come October when the state’s expected 20-million-tonne-plus crop begins to come off.
"Our priority is to get a deal done that works for all parties,” she said.
“A high performing network and supply chain is crucial for those growers, and the regional communities they live in.
“We continue to work for a resolution with our plant operators and maintenance employees, and the unions, for a reasonable and sustainable agreement to be in place as soon as possible.”
Mr Piccoli said many of the union’s demands would bring conditions at Kwinana to parity with other CBH sites and professions or were minor administrative adjustments.
These included defining what a week’s pay was and writing down workforce leave allotments, Mr Piccoli said.
“[It] is really confusing why CBH would refuse to provide increased clarity in the agreement with no costs associated at all,” he said.
“We are also aware that CBH offered the stevedores that work at the same terminal 5 per cent per year over three years without even having a proper meeting yet.
“Maintenance is currently earning a difference ranging from 5 to 10 per cent less than some other sites.”
Mr Piccoli said the union was eager to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.
