Coca-Cola strike threatens supply chain ahead of festive season

Coca-Cola factory workers in Sydney have walked off the job for a second time this month.

The strike action concerns what the Electrical Trades Union says is a two-tiered pay system that leaves workers on far less than their colleagues.

On Thursday, only about 40 union members and representatives demonstrated outside Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ head office in North Sydney.

Media at the scene report an obvious police and private security presence. The demonstrators moved away from the office building soon after assembling because of the high level of traffic.

A Coca-Cola Europacific spokesperson told NewsWire the pay and conditions offer to employees was “competitive to the market”.

Asked to clarify, the spokesperson said long-term workers were on “wage rates that are above market” while newer employees were paid “competitive rates”.

All employees “enjoy a range of benefits”, the spokesperson said.

“We are in active talks with the union and bargaining representatives on this matter. These discussions are progressing.”

“Some of our workers from our Northmead site have made the decision to take action today as part of ongoing Enterprise Agreement negotiations,” the spokesperson said.

“We have taken a constructive approach to these negotiations so far, and we will continue to do so.

“We remain confident that the wage rates and employment conditions we have proposed are competitive to the market.

“We greatly value these employees. They have an average tenure close to 15 years and we look after them.”

The company says “robust” supply plans should minimise disruption and consumers “will be able to” get their favourite drinks over Christmas and New Year.

The Electrical Trades Union have been approached for comment.

Renewed and ongoing strikes, just a week out from Christmas, could threaten the supply chain of Coca Cola’s product empire; 250 different products are made at the factory in Northmead, western Sydney, including Mount Franklin, Kirks, Fanta, Cascade, Pump, Mother, Deep Spring and Neverfail.

After workers walked off the job earlier this month, Coca-Cola Europacific said it would negotiate with workers on an enterprise agreement.

“We continue to take a constructive approach to negotiations and have proposed an EA that we believe offers rates that are competitive to the market and above the award wage with greater benefits,” a company spokesperson said.

The Northmead factory is Coca-Cola’s second largest in the country.

This latest strike action comes hot on the heels of Victorian Woolworths factory workers taking industrial action for 17 days, leaving supermarkets shelves empty for weeks.

About 1500 staff at distribution centres in Melbourne and in the state’s north held out for 2½ weeks, costing Woolworths at least $140m in lost sales.

The United Workers Union had rallied workers to strike over AI efficiency-tracking surveillance in the warehouses. The union also won an approximately 11 per cent pay rise for workers over three years.