Workers at Inghams’ Osborne Park facility will stop work on Friday after union members overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action amid bargaining talks.
It’s understood discussions between Inghams — one of Australia’s largest chicken suppliers with the likes of Woolworths and Collins Foods, proprietor of KFC, on the books — and worker representatives from the United Workers Union and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union fell apart on Tuesday as unions sought an 18 per cent pay increase over three years.
UWU national secretary Tim Kennedy said the pay increase would amount to about $1.50 per hour.
But he claimed management had “opted for obfuscation and intimidation” throughout negotiations.
“It’s really quite atrocious behaviour when you consider these are the very workers who have contributed to their huge profits by showing up every day, during pandemics, in the middle of the night, on public holidays, doing a less-than-glamorous job to make sure Australians have protein on their plates,” Mr Kennedy said.
Strikes will cover facilities in South Australia and WA, where 96 per cent of UWU members at the company’s Osborne Park voted in favour of industrial action.
It’s believed the action will have minimal impact on Woolworths stores while a representative for Collins Foods didn’t respond when sought for comment on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for Inghams has also been sought for comment.