Wilmar turns back on workers, communities and Fair Work Commission
Sugar multinational Wilmar now a “bad faith actor”
Wilmar has abandoned any semblance of fairness, instead they have become a “bad faith actor” who show a total disregard for their workers, sugar communities, growers and now the Fair Work Commission.
Multinational sugar company Wilmar abandoned any impression of fairness today, after pushing unions to undertake Commissioner Assisted Bargaining in the Fair Work Commission for weeks, the company not liking what the commissioner said has disregarded the full recommendation that could have brought the damaging dispute to an end.
ETU state organiser Liam Sharkey says the company’s response shows the arrogance of a multinational overseas company that believes it has no responsibility to act in good faith.
“It just shows how little regard Wilmar has for its workers, communities, growers and now Australia’s institutions, its reputation is in tatters, and it has now become a ‘bad faith actor’ in these negotiations.” Mr Sharkey said.
The union pointed to the recent Tully Sugar EBA dispute that has now been settled as an example of how far out of step Wilmar is with its appalling disrespect.
“Tully Sugar went through the same process as Wilmar – Commissioner Assisted Bargaining with the same Commissioner - to resolve their dispute. While Tully Sugar accepted the independent umpire’s recommendations in full and agreed to put the upgraded agreement to a ballot, which was successful, Wilmar has not.”
“The three unions involved in this dispute The ETU, AMWU and the AWU have done everything in our powers to resolve this destructive dispute. All our members have ever wanted is that the company come to the table with a fair and reasonable agreement that does not send them backwards in real terms and makes good the promises made by Wilmar that workers who missed out on pay rises during the downturns and Covid would get compensated when the market picked up.”
“That time is now, with sugar prices and company profits at record levels Wilmar have broken their promise to their loyal workers and worse still when presented with a recommendation from the independent umpire that showed what our members were seeking is not only fair and reasonable but in line with the recommended pay increase of 21.33% over 4 years, Wilmar continues to obstruct, oppose and unnecessarily extend the dispute.”
For more, please call Liam Sharkey 0498 278 976 or Andrew Irvine 0429 535 860