Striking Tasmanian Cheese Factory Workers Demand Equal Pay
Maintenance workers at a cheese factory in Burnie, Tasmania, are on strike, demanding an end to the unfair pay gap between them and their mainland counterparts. The workers, employed by Canadian dairy giant Saputo, say they are tired of being treated like "second-class citizens" and want to be paid the same as their colleagues doing the same job on the mainland.
The striking workers, who number over 20, walked off the job on Tuesday after negotiations with Saputo broke down. They claim they are paid 21% less than their mainland counterparts, despite having higher skill levels and working at a more technically demanding site.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) is supporting the workers and has called on Saputo to address the pay disparity. Michael Wickham, AMWU state organiser, said, "There's no argument Tasmanians should earn less than their mainland counterparts." He added that the workers at the Burnie factory are "more skilled and the site more technical," yet they are still being paid significantly less.
Saputo has not yet commented on the specific reasons for the pay gap, but a spokesperson said the company is committed to continuing negotiations in good faith. However, the company has not addressed the concerns raised by the AMWU regarding the rising cost of living in Tasmania and the higher skill levels required at the Burnie plant.
The Saputo workers are not alone in their fight for fair pay. The AMWU says other major factories in Tasmania are also facing similar pay disparities. Mr. Wickham said, "I think no matter where you go, where there are sister factories on the mainland, we are averaging between that 15 to 21 per cent behind all of them for doing the same work."
The union is confident that the workers will ultimately be successful in their fight for equal pay. Mr. Wickham said, "If wages were an issue in this place, what they pay the Victorian mainland, they would have gone broke years ago." He added that the company's milk prices are not affected by wages, and the only ones who suffer from the pay gap are the farmers.
Saputo bought the Burnie factory from Lion Dairy and Drinks in 2019. The factory produces specialty cheese brands such as South Cape, Tasmanian Heritage, and Mersey Valley. Since 2022, the company has closed three facilities across Victoria and South Australia, and late last year announced it was considering the sale of its King Island dairy factory.