Adelaide Arnott's Factory Workers Strike Over Wage Increases Below Cost of Living

Adelaide workers who make some of Australia's most iconic snacks have walked off the job after previous pay rises equated to less than $1 per hour — not enough to buy a packet of biscuits. The United Workers Union said about 160 day and night shift employees at Arnott's Marleston factory participated in a 24-hour work stoppage on Tuesday — the first industrial action taken by workers at the site in more than three decades. Dozens of workers gathered outside the factory before marching down Marion Road on Tuesday afternoon. Union spokesperson Adam Auld said the Galway Avenue site produced many Aussie favourites including Tim Tams, Iced VoVos and other Arnott's chocolate products. Mr Auld said many workers were struggling to pay their mortgages or rent after four years of receiving wage increases of 2.5 per cent, a rise he said equated to less than $1 an hour. The cost of a packet of Arnott's biscuits varies, with some varieties retailing for as low as $1.50. "Just think for the last four years they haven't been ahead of the cost of living, and right now, we're asking for Arnott's to come to the table with something that will get them ahead." Arnott's, owned by private equity giant KKR, said it had offered 9.5 per cent wage increase to workers over the next two years, but Mr Auld said "95 per cent of the workforce voted no" to that offer last week. An Arnott's spokesperson said the company would continue to meet with the union to reach a final decision on wages. "While we respect our employees' right to take protected industrial action, we're disappointed given the constructive discussions that have taken place," the spokesperson said. "We remain committed to negotiating in good faith with the union and are focused on reaching an agreement that supports both our employees and the long-term sustainability of our operations in Adelaide." In 2014, Arnott's made about 120 jobs redundant at the Marleston factory and moved those positions to sites in Sydney and Brisbane. The iconic Arnott's biscuit empire began after William Arnott arrived from Scotland in 1848. He opened his first bakery in the Maitland region of New South Wales, and later a factory in Newcastle. The development of the Milk Arrowroot biscuit in 1882 saw Arnott's crack the Sydney market and the company become a national brand. Arnott's went through several acquisitions in the mid-1900s before being acquired by Campbell Soup Company, who sold Arnott's to Kohlberg Kravis Robert (KKR) in 2019.