March 13 (Reuters) - Workers at Glencore's copper refinery in North Queensland went on strike after negotiations that began nearly a year ago failed to resolve disputes over better wages and working
Workers strike at Glencore's Australia refinery over pay dispute
Strike Details and Ongoing Negotiations
March 13 (Reuters) - Workers at Glencore's copper refinery in North Queensland went on strike after negotiations that began nearly a year ago failed to resolve disputes over better wages and working conditions, the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) said on Friday.
Strike Action and Union Response
- Members of the union stopped work for four hours at the Townsville refinery before resuming operations.
Union Statement
- "If Glencore aren't interested in improving on their offer, the action will continue," AWU Northern District secretary Jim Wilson said. He added that the union does not plan any further action for now.
Background to the Dispute
- On Wednesday, the union said it planned to go on strike as the miner had refused to offer workers a "decent" wage increase that kept up with the rising cost of living.
About Glencore's Operations
- The London-listed company mines zinc, copper, silver and other minerals across 20 active operations in Australia and employs about 17,000 people, according to its website.
Company Response
- Glencore, in an emailed response to Reuters, reiterated that it remained committed to securing an agreement with its workforce and added that the union's political grandstanding risked eroding the constructive engagement achieved with negotiators.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Kumar Tanishk; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Janane Venkatraman)
