Unions suspend strikes at Australia’s largest sugar producer as wage negotiations resume

CANBERRA (June 13): Unions have temporarily suspended industrial action at factories belonging to Australia’s largest sugar producer as negotiations over workers’ wages resume, the company and a union official said.

Strikes last month have delayed and disrupted the start of operations at Wilmar Sugar and Renewables factories on Australia’s hot and humid northeast coast.

A company spokesman said Wilmar told union representatives at a meeting on Thursday that it was willing to improve its wage offer and that unions had agreed to suspend their industrial action.

“We have suspended industrial action for now,” said Jim Wilson, an official with the Australian Workers’ Union, adding that strikes could resume if no progress was made.

Wilmar is in the process of commissioning its eight mills for the sugar cane processing season, during which they will operate 24 hours a day until the rainy season begins around November.

Strikes during the pressing season cause far greater disruption than during the preparation and maintenance period beforehand.

Wilmar opened its first factory on Monday, but it was closed again for most of the day on Wednesday when workers announced they would stop work for an hour.

Earlier this week, workers voted against a salary offer from the company.

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables produces over two million tonnes of sugar annually, valued at around one billion US dollars (4.71 billion RMB). It is owned by Wilmar International from Singapore.

A prolonged period of strike action would jeopardise Australian sugar production and exports by reducing the time available to process sugar cane before rains destroy the crop.

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