Workers picketing Woolworths’ Melbourne warehouse are ‘capricious’, supermarket tells Fair Work

Woolworths has described a picket line outside one of its key distribution centres in Melbourne as a “metaphorical gun” pointed at its head, as the supermarket giant seeks to restart warehouse operations amid an industrial dispute.

Worker strikes at five distribution centres – including the picketed regional distribution centre in Melbourne’s south – have disrupted grocery supplies at some Woolworths stores

leading to bare shelves

Woolworths representatives argued at the Fair Work Commission (FWC) on Friday that the picket line should be cleared because it was allegedly used to pressure the company during negotiations over pay and conditions for warehouse workers.

The supermarket’s legal representative, Marc Felman KC, said the picket undermined the bargaining process.

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“It’s obstructive, it’s either actually preventing vehicles and people from coming on to the site or having the effect of vehicles and people not coming on to the site,” Felman said. “There’s a picket. It’s capricious or unfair. It should be stopped.”

Felman described the picket as a “metaphorical gun” pointed at Woolworths, designed to pressure the supermarket during negotiations.

More than 1,500 Woolworths warehouse workers have been

on strike since 21 November

The union is seeking a pay increase to at least $38 an hour for staff and wants Woolworths to

scrap a productivity framework

Woolworths has previously said “a majority of the team” at the south Melbourne regional distribution centre had indicated they wished to return to work to be paid – but were prevented from doing so due to the picket.

Closing arguments, including the UWU outlining its position, were due later on Friday.