An industrial dispute between Woolworths and its workers is at a standstill as union members continue to call for better conditions and shelves across three states grow empty. A key distribution centre for the grocery store remains closed after another day of negotiations between the united workers union and the retailer.
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00:00As Woolworths supermarkets started the day with empty shelves, this picket line filled
00:07up.
00:08Union!
00:09Power!
00:10Union!
00:11Power!
00:12After days of negotiations, the supermarket giant expected to return to business today
00:15at this major distribution center in Melbourne's west, but it was not to be.
00:20One day longer!
00:21One day stronger!
00:22United Workers Union members arrived this morning, blocking staff from entering the
00:26facility.
00:27Woolworths says it's the largest of five sites currently closed because of indefinite
00:31industrial action, affecting stores in Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT.
00:36The retailer says the site's closure accounts for 42 percent of the missing stock on its
00:41shelves.
00:42I was about to get some frozen foods product there, but literally it's empty.
00:47You've got other competitors like Kohl's that are still fine, so if I don't find anything
00:52here I just go down the street.
00:55The union says its top priority is softening Woolworths' so-called productivity framework,
01:00which requires workers to meet performance targets when moving products through warehouses
01:04and onto trucks.
01:05If Woolworths move on that and people don't feel that they're going to be punished because
01:09they can't picket 100 percent or operate at 100 percent all the time, because these are
01:14big dangerous workplaces, then I think we're a long way to resolving this.
01:18The United Workers Union says it's also asking for a pay increase to meet the rising cost
01:23of living.
01:24The retailer says it's developed the framework with safety and fairness in mind, and has
01:28hit back at the union, saying they're asking for a wage hike that outstrips inflation.
01:33Woolworths says a staff survey shows 72 percent want the warehouse to reopen so they can return
01:37to work.
01:38The union says it will keep negotiating as long as it has to, and has no plans of letting
01:43workers return to the Dandenong warehouse before an agreement is reached.
01:47We'll continue talking into the night.
01:49If it gets to a point that the parties are exhausted, we'll rest, we'll be back first
01:53thing in the morning.
01:54But I really want to make this clear, Woolworths can now fix this.
01:58It's a battle of the wills that looks set to continue.