UWU members protest Woolworths pick and pay rates

If you’ve noticed empty shelves at Woolworths stores across Australia, you’re not alone.

While it’s inconvenient for shoppers before the holiday season, there's an important reason behind it.

It’s common knowledge that pick rates forcing warehouse staff to operate beyond a safe pace are dangerous and can put lives at risk.

You know it. Woolworths’ staff know it. And more importantly, Woolworths’ management knows it.

So, when Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) talks between the United Workers Union (UWU) and Woolworths broke down over the company’s low offer on pay rates and reticence to rule out future use of pick rates, the workers felt it was time to walk out.

Impact of industrial action

The nationwide industrial action has resulted in over $50 million in lost food sales. If the dispute is not resolved soon, these losses will continue to amount, causing further disruptions in the supply chain and more shortages on Woolworths shelves across Australia.

Staple items such as toilet paper, meat, dairy, and frozen goods are becoming increasingly scarce, putting significant pressure on Woolworths Group to resolve the ongoing dispute.

Maurice Blackburn staff joined the workers outside the Heathwood centre warehouse in Queensland in the rainy 4 am darkness to show solidarity, and to answer any legal questions workers might have about pick rates and other workplace concerns.

Concerns over pick rates and wages

Pick rates are currently on pause in Woolworths distribution centres, but should they be imposed on warehouse workers, they are expected to be entirely unrealistic.

Demanding an unwavering and extreme working pace poses significant concerns for workers, including:

Physical strain and injury likelihood by demanding an unsustainable working pace. 

Workers urged to maintain unrealistic speeds resort to unsafe practices with heavy items, and this exacerbates the likelihood of chronic pain injuries and long-term health issues.

Increased risk of accidents in the rush to meet unworkable pick rates. 

Safety protocols are often overlooked or bypassed in the rush, exposing the workers and those around them to danger.

Mental health issues due to relentless pressure to meet unreachable pick rates. 

The heightened stress and anxiety about failing to meet impossible targets and suffering disciplinary action or job loss as a result ultimately leads to burnout.

Compromised service standards. 

The emphasis on speed leads to inferior customer service through errors and damaged goods, affecting the company’s profits and disappointing staff who pride themselves on a job well done.

This action isn’t all about pick rates. Currently, warehouse staff are paid about $30.00 per hour. UWU is trying to negotiate an increase of 15 per cent in the first year and 3.5 per cent for years two and three.

The proposed increase would eventually bring workers’ hourly pay rates up to $40.00, still a relatively low rate. Woolworths has made an offer for members to vote on, but the consensus was that it was insufficient and further negotiation was needed for an adequate solution – especially following the Woolworths Group’s reported $1.7 billion net profit (after tax) for the 2023/24 financial year.

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