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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Business
Josh Taylor

‘Treating workers like robots’: Woolworths blamed for empty supermarket shelves as warehouse strikes continue

The ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, attends a strike by Woolworths workers at Erskine Park distribution centre in Sydney on Friday
The ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, attends a strike by Woolworths workers at the Erskine Park distribution centre in Sydney on Friday. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Woolworths bears responsibility for the empty shelves seen in supermarkets across parts of Australia by attempting to treat workers like “robots”, the head of the Australian Council of Trade Unions has said, as a strike of warehouse workers extends into a second week.

Up to 1,500 employees began rolling 24-hour strikes on 21 November in warehouses in New South Wales and Victoria, seeking improved wages and safety. One of the major issues is a new framework system employed at the warehouse that tracks workers down to the minute, and logs performance each shift using an algorithm.

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