About 1000 Woolworths and Coles workers across the country are expected to walk off the job on Saturday in the first nationally coordinated supermarket strike in Australian history.
Staff represented by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) have backed a two-hour stoppage from 10am on Saturday, with stores in Victoria, NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, the ACT and SA affected.
RAFFWU federal secretary Josh Cullinan said members were fighting for living wages, safer workplaces and secure jobs.
“Workers are paid a few cents more than the minimum wage. They just want a living wage to deal with the rising cost of living, they can’t even afford the groceries they’re selling,” he told 9news.com.au.
In retaliation, Coles says it will withhold pay from employees who participate in the protected industrial action and refuse to: clean up vomit, clean out and collect trolleys clean toilets, change price stickers and collapse boxes.
“If they participate in these partial work bans, they are not entitled to payment and Coles refuses to accept the partial performance of work until the team member is prepared to perform all of their normal duties,” Coles said in a memo. “It is our legal right to do this.”
Mr Cullinan promptly accused Coles of overkill.
Will you avoid shopping at this time in case you’re inconvenienced?
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