Retail workers at Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books will begin a five-day strike on Saturday, running through to Christmas Eve, after negotiations over a new workplace agreement broke down.
Workers represented by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) will take industrial action from December 20 to December 24 at Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books stores, according to the union, targeting one of the busiest retail periods of the year.
The dispute centres on an enterprise agreement dating back to 2012, which the union describes as an expired “zombie” agreement that cuts conditions below Award minimums.
RAFFWU claims the deal abolished evening and Saturday penalty rates and left workers in long-term casualised part-time roles without casual loading.
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RAFFWU says six bargaining meetings over the past three months have failed to secure commitments from the employers on job security, penalty rates or wage increases.
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“We aren’t striking because we want to. We love books and our community. But 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.”
The five-day strike follows an earlier walkout on December 13, which drew around 150 supporters to a rally outside Berkelouw Books’ Leichhardt store in Sydney.
In addition to the strike, workers have already implemented bans on restocking shelves, receiving deliveries, and attending meetings with management outside formal bargaining. RAFFWU members have also been interrupting work to distribute union campaign materials to customers.
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The union claims Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books responded to the bans by imposing unilateral pay deductions of up to 37.77% on workers participating in the industrial action. In response, RAFFWU has established a welfare fund to support staff affected by the deductions.
RAFFWU secretary Loukas Kakogiannis said workers had been left with little choice but to escalate action.
“For over a decade, Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books workers have been held on a rotten, expired zombie café agreement that cuts minimum Award conditions,” Kakogiannis said.
“Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books should be selling Dickens, not living it.
“These workers aren’t asking for the world, they want job security, a living wage with penalty rates, and protections against unfair treatment. These are basic rights that all workers deserve.”
Harry Hartog and Berkelouw Books have previously said the 2012 agreement was approved by the Fair Work Commission and passed the Better Off Overall Test, rejecting claims it is a so-called “zombie” deal.
The company has also said it is negotiating in good faith and has put forward an offer that includes changes to penalty rate structures and other conditions.
The strike is set to proceed unless an agreement is reached before Saturday.
