For immediate release: 2 December 2016

Wage rises aren’t meeting housing costs – striking worker

Approximately 20 distribution centre workers at Blackwoods Protector, a company supplying industrial equipment, are taking strike action today as workers worry about how the company’s poor pay offer will impact their ability to sustain a family.

Mary, a store-person at the distribution centre, said in the last year her rent increased at double the rate the company is offering in a wage increase.

“Blackwoods Paykel is making enormous profits, but the benefits aren’t been shared,” said FIRST Union organiser Mark Mueller.

“The distribution centre workers who help create the profits are being offered next to nothing for their hard work over the last year. Now people are worried about how they’re going to keep up with rising rent prices.”

Blackwoods Paykel is a subsidiary of Wesfarmers, the largest company in Australia by revenue.

This is not the first time a Wesfarmers subsidiary has run into trouble with Bunnings only recently settling a new collective agreement with its workforce after a long-running dispute.

Workers will picket outside the distribution centre on Highbrook Drive from 8:30am today.

ENDS

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