Wilmar Puts New EA Offer To A Ballot

Wilmar Sugar and Renewables employees will have an opportunity to vote on a new, three-year enterprise agreement that includes an upfront $2,500 and total wage rises of 16%.
The first two wage increases, totalling 12%, would be paid by Christmas this year.
If the offer is accepted,1,300 Wilmar employees covered by the EA will receive an 8% increase in their first full pay after the ballot, another 4% in December this year, and a further 4% increase in December next year. The $2,500 bonus would be paid in the first full pay period after a successful ballot.
A Wilmar Sugar and Renewables spokesman said the offer should address workers’ concerns about cost of living.
“The wage increases offered exceed forecast inflation rates for the term of the EA,” he said.
“The Reserve Bank of Australia and other economic forecasters predict inflation will drop below 3% in 2025 and 2026. Our offer is for wage increases of 4% in both those years, and an annual average of 5.33% over the term of the agreement.”
He said Wilmar’s EA proposal reflected advice offered by Fair Work Commissioner Bernie Riordan in a non-binding recommendation last month.
“We are offering the average annual wage increase of 5.3% that Commissioner Riordan recommended to both Tully and us,” he said.
“The incremental, three-year wage increases in our offer are also the same as those Commissioner Riordan recommended to both workforces.
“Tully Sugar workers voted yes, and we hope to see the same result.
“I am confident everyone wants to see a resolution. Our offer is a genuine attempt to bring this dispute to a close quickly.
“We hope it is supported by unions.”
The spokesman said if the offer was rejected, the company had few options other than to apply to the Fair Work Commission for an intractable bargaining determination under the Fair Work Act. This would start a process of submissions, hearings and deliberations that could run into 2025, delaying the resolution of an EA and the payment of wage increases.

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