Following sustained industrial action, workers at Country Road Group's warehouse have secured a pay agreement that includes a substantial pay rise.
The mostly female workforce at CRG Logistics met yesterday morning to vote in favour of the new agreement, which includes a pay rise of 13.3% over four years, including back pay to the expiry of the former agreement to May 2021.
United Workers Union (UWU) members were also able to secure 20 new permanent positions, which will lift the permanency level to around 75%.
The agreement will also include equal site rates for agency casual workers, and new union rights and recognition.
A spokesperson for Country Road Group welcomed the agreement.
"CRG is pleased to have reached an agreement that delivers sustainable wage growth for our team and strong mutual understanding between all parties.
"Our teams remain focused on continuing to deliver a seamless experience for our customers as we trade into the holiday season," the spokesperson said.
UWU National Secretary Tim Kennedy said the agreement is an important step forward for the team.
"These are workers who have been stuck just above the minimum wage, and who have sought to collectively bargain for a living wage and secure jobs.
"They have been on strike for twelve days and have now won wage increases delivering above 3% per year.
"This is an important win for these workers, and it has been achieved despite the broken enterprise bargaining laws.
"The current enterprise bargaining system has resulted in wage stagnation and insecure work.
"The current laws are used to restrict workers from effectively bargaining for a fair share of profits and productivity. The current laws have effectively killed off productivity in the economy.
"These workers have prevailed despite these laws and have provided much needed hope to workers to push for better wage outcomes in 2022," he said.
The UWU launched the 'Country Rogue' campaign at the beginning of November, claiming that the workers in the warehouse were left feeling "disrespected, mistreated and underpaid."
The campaign claimed that the workers were being paid more than $10 less than their male counterparts who were doing the same work in the same suburb.
Country Road Group comprises brands Country Road, Witchery, Trenery, Mimco and Politix.