CBH’s Kwinana terminal is one of Australia’s biggest departure points for wheat. Photo: CBH Group

PLANT operators and maintenance workers at CBH Group’s Kwinana Grain Terminal have voted in favour of protected action as enterprise bargaining agreement negotiations continue between unions and the Western Australian grain handler.

The Kwinana Grain Terminal is Western Australia’s largest grain-export facility, shipping more than half of the state’s total grain production on average each year.

A ballot opened earlier this month for members of unions being represented by the Maritime Union of Australia and the Electrical Trades Union.

Questions included asked if the member would be supportive of a variety of protected actions, including work stoppages ranging in duration from one hour to several over a 28-day period, and bans on certain duties, such as unloading and loading wagons and trucks, and sampling activities.

The ballot resulted in 97-percent support for “all types of protected action”, with 99pc support for most questions.

Alone, the MUA has over 100 members at the terminal working across operations and maintenance.

Ongoing EBA negotiations

Negotiations have been ongoing between the parties since March.

The previous EBAs for both plant operators and plant maintenance expired on May 17.

Union representatives claim CBH has made little effort to progress negotiations, with the MUA’s WA Branch Facebook page posts commenting that CBH’s only counterproposal offered little to workers.

The statement from July 2 said that CBH had “finally put forward a counter offer”, which included a 2pc increase each year for three years, alongside roster changes, and a reduction in the number of meal breaks.

“When even the basic calculations have been done, this offer put forward by CBH, after factoring in the roster changes and loss of other entitlements, would leave the operators with a pay rise that comes to only a couple hundred dollars total over the life of the agreement,” the statement said.

“And on the maintenance side, it would still leave the members roughly 10pc behind the rates being paid to maintenance workers at other sites within CBH itself.”

MUA WA branch organiser Daniel Piccoli said the wage increase proposed by CBH was disappointing, given it was “far below the average for increases more broadly”.

He said it was further compounded by CBH’s other stipulations, which included a proposal for more night shifts featuring an offer of “an increase to the loading, which doesn’t even cover the increase of nights” if compared to the current agreement.

Mr Piccoli said the MUA had put forward a log of claims focused on improving wages, compensation for shift work and public holidays, and access to training.

The union is also seeking wage increases to ensure that “members are being properly compensated for increases in cost of living over the last three years”.

“This includes bringing the Maintenance wages up to the rates currently being paid at other CBH sites, as the Kwinana Terminal maintenance staff are being paid roughly 10pc less than other maintenance employees at some other CBH sites.”

Mr Piccoli said protected action would be a last resort if CBH did not “come to the table with a proper offer for the workforce to consider”.

“[I]t can only be seen by the membership at the Kwinana Terminal that CBH is either completely out of touch with wages and conditions in the broader industries, or deliberately playing games.

“Either way, the membership will not sit by and take such disrespectful displays of bargaining currently occurring during these negotiations.

“It may force their hand into taking escalating levels of protected action at the terminal to ensure proper wages and conditions are obtained from these negotiations.”

CBH Group response

A CBH Group spokesperson said the co-operative had been “negotiating in good faith with employees and the union to reach an agreement that works for all parties” for the past two months.

“We are focussed on a win-win outcome; good for our people, and good for WA growers and the wider co-operative,” the spokesperson said.

“While we respect the right to participate in industrial action if done through the proper channels, we are of course disappointed, particularly as progress was being made.

“Since negotiations started in early May, we have had nine meetings and more than 100 claims from the unions to work through, which all parties need to take the time to work through properly.”

The spokesperson said any disruptions to the WA grain industry supply chain would impact “the viability of WA grain growers and our regional communities”.

“We are actively working for a resolution with our plant operators and maintenance employees, and the unions, for an agreement to be in place as soon as possible.

“We will continue to engage and negotiate in good faith with the unions, and we sincerely hope that they do too.”

CBH Group has been subject to protected action in recent years with protracted 2022-23 EBA negotiations resulting in multiple stoppages and work bans.

Agreement was finally reached between the parties in early 2023.

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