Woolworths has filed an urgent application with the fair work commission as strike action at major distribution centres enters a 13th day. The grocery giant has now revealed the lost sales have cost the company tens of millions of dollars.
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TVTranscript
00:00Are we strong and united members?
00:04Yes!
00:05Are we going to hold the line members?
00:07Yes!
00:08These Woolies workers say that they will keep striking.
00:12The Distribution Hub staff have now been off the job for almost two weeks.
00:17Here we are 13 days later and those workers are resolved to continue that action, democratically.
00:22Their strike over pay and conditions is throwing the supermarket supply chain into chaos by holding stock back from stores.
00:30Takes you back to the COVID times, you know.
00:33Missing toilet paper?
00:34Yeah, yeah.
00:36What's empty in there?
00:37All the water bottles, all the water containers.
00:39There's no tin cans, you know what I mean?
00:41Woolworths has now put a dollar figure on the cost saying that it's missed out on $50 million in sales.
00:48Saying until the industrial action is resolved, a further impact to sales is expected.
00:54The full financial impact at this stage is unknown.
01:00The company declined an invitation to an interview but in a pre-recorded statement it claimed that staff want to go back to work.
01:08The union agrees but says that they won't do that until they get a fair deal.
01:14Woolworths can stop the wage pain for these workers.
01:18Woolworths can stop the empty shelves.
01:20It's a decision for them.
01:22As this situation has gotten so onerous for the supermarket giant it's gone to the Fair Work Commission to lodge an application to try and get some workers back to work.
01:33The supermarket claims the union is breaching good faith bargaining requirements which the union denies.
01:39Some shoppers are frustrated while others support their cause.
01:43Do you know why the shelves are empty?
01:45100% because of the strike, you know what I mean?
01:48They just want more and more.
01:50Do you care that the workers are striking?
01:52Yeah, because they have to do what they have to do.
01:54One day longer members!
01:56One day longer!
01:57As this strike threatens to enter its third week.