Milk Workers Are Offered Five Per Cent Pay Rise Following Strikes

Milk Industry workers call off more strike action after securing five per cent pay rises.

On Friday, Fonterra Australia reached an in-principle agreement with the United Workers Unions which represents 300 dairy workers from the company.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news with The Victorian Briefing – keeping you in the loop with news as it hits:

Dairy employees working at its Cobden, Stanhope and Darnum sites planned to go on strike for six days starting Saturday, calling for fair wages and improved working conditions.

Fonterra workers are now able to vote on whether to accept the company’s revised offer, which includes a 12 per cent pay rise over three years.

The deal has increased up from 10.5 per cent, and it also provides workers with more leave options, including increased sick leave and shift allowances.

It also provides greater protections for workers who return to work.

Union national secretary Tim Kennedy said workers in regional areas showed “great courage” in standing up to the large multinational dairy companies.

“The strike action has shown dairy workers are prepared to stand up and fight for their place in the dairy industry, and the importance of the dairy industry in their local communities,” he said.

Fonterra’s Supply Chain and Operations Director Rob Howell welcomed the breakthrough in negotiations following several months of protracted talks.

“This offer is largely in line with what was previously on the table, following months of negotiations with the union,” Mr Howell said.

“We reiterate that an agreement could have been reached without the union taking industrial action, which unfortunately reduced the pay packets of striking union members.”

Subscribe to The Briefing, Australia’s fastest-growing news podcast on Listnr today. The Briefing serves up the latest news headlines and a deep dive into a topic affecting you. All in under 20 minutes.