Industrial strike threatens to leave store shelves empty nationwide
An industrial battle in Sydney's west is threatening to leave store shelves empty across Australia ahead of Christmas.
Workers for logistics company Toll are holding a 24-hour protest outside the Yenorra distribution centre.
The workers have asked for a pay rise equivalent to $2 an hour.
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Toll workers protesting for a pay rise could disrupt deliveries for Christmas. 9News
Workers said they would continue protesting until their demands are met. 9News
"Mortgage and interest rates have gone up and also the cost of living which leaves us with no option," Rosendo Wong, a worker, said.
The protests come after 18 months of increased deliveries and online orders during the pandemic.
Christopher Dundon from the United Workers Union said workers have been "struggling for a really long time".
"A lot of them have to go out and get second jobs," he said.
"A lot of them have to borrow money from family coming into Christmas and it's just not right.
"In the last eight years, they've only seen an extra $1 in their pay packet."
In a statement Toll said, "the outcomes we are offering are very reasonable, including a generous wage increase as well as a range of other improvements."
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Mr Dundon said there have been minimal pay increases in the past eight years. 9News
The strike action could result in supply issues for some major Australian retailers ahead of Christmas.
The Yenorra centre, where the protests are being held, is Kmart's largest distribution centre, and it also services Nike, Optus and Cadbury chocolate's parent company.
Toll said contingencies are already in place for delivery delays.
The protests are expected to disrupt deliveries in the coming weeks. 9News
Workers said they will continue to protest until their demands are met.
It comes as disruptions in global supply chains have already threatened international deliveries in time for Christmas.
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