CADBURY WORKERS STOP WORK FOR A SWEETER DEAL

28 September 2023 -

Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) members at Cadbury's factory in Claremont, Tasmania are continuing a stop-work campaign for better wages and conditions.

Nearly 400 AMWU members are taking four hour-long work stoppages each fortnight as they push for raises of 5% over each of the next three years, as well as more sick leave, an increased income protection premium for workers and improved job security for casual and temporary workers.

Cadbury's parent company, Mondelez International, has been dragging out EBA negotiations for months in the hope that workers will give in and vote for an inferior deal. AMWU members overwhelmingly rejected Mondelez' last offer, with more than 80% of members voting to turn it down and keep fighting for a better offer.

AMWU Tasmanian State Secretary John Short said:

"AMWU members at Cadbury Claremont are taking protected industrial action to fight for the fair pay rise and conditions we deserve.

"These workers kept Cadbury in business during the COVID lockdowns. They sacrificed their sick leave and put themselves at risk to come into work each day and keep the lights on. Many of these workers have been on casual or temporary contracts for years.

"Now, in a cost-of-living crisis, and with their profits soaring, Mondelez wants to repay their workers' loyalty and their sacrifice by offering them a real-terms wage cut and refusing them their rightful status as permanent employees.

"Mondelez gives their temporary and casual workers little indication of why their applications to be made permanent are refused. These workers live in limbo, constantly fearing that they won't be rostered on for enough shifts to make ends meet or be made redundant at a moment's notice.

"Mondelez made more than $2.7 billion in profits worldwide last year. Paying their workers enough to keep their heads above water and giving them job security is the bare minimum this company could do. AMWU members are committed to getting the wages and conditions we deserve."