Daily London
More than 100 staff at two major Australian book retailers will walk off the job tomorrow for a days-long strike over the busy Christmas period.
Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books employees represented by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) will begin a five-day strike from tomorrow until Wednesday, December 24.
The strike will affect all Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books bookstores.
9news.com.au understands the retailers will attempt to staff the stores during the strike with non-union staff and new hires.
“We know that the shareholders are trying to break the strike but there will be over 100 workers on strike,” RAFFWU secretary Loukas Kakogiannis told 9news.com.au.
RAFFWU members are bargaining for a new agreement that would boost wages and improve conditions.
They have been negotiating with the Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books for months in a bid to replace the expired, 13-year-old deal they’re currently on.
Under that agreement, many booksellers aren’t paid penalty rates on evenings and Saturdays and are stuck on casualised part-time work with no casual loading.
“We can’t keep going under this old agreement when we’re juggling multiple jobs just to survive and living with constant financial stress,” RAFFWU delegate Ally Bodnaruk said in a statement.
“Passion for books doesn’t pay the rent. We want to secure jobs, fair treatment and to be paid a living wage.”
Despite six bargaining meetings over three months, a new agreement has not been reached.
RAFFWU members have already instituted a ban on restocking shelves and receiving deliveries in response to the failed negotiations.
Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books reacted by issuing workers with unilateral wage cuts of 37.77 per cent for participating in the bans, per the RAFFWU.
“These workers aren’t asking for the world, they want job security, a living wage with penalty rates, and protections against unfair treatment,” Kakogiannis said.
“These are basic rights that all workers deserve.”
He called on Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books to “stop being recalcitrant” and come to the table with a fair offer.
Harry Hartog operates 15 stores across the ACT, NSW, Queensland and South Australia.
Berkelouw Books operates out of fewer than 10 locations in NSW and Queensland.
