Bunnings staff walk out in support of pay claim

Staff from Bunnings Warehouse in Whakatane walked off the job for an hour yesterday in protest over pay negotiations.

As part of strike action throughout the country, 26 Whakatane Bunnings workers lined up beside SH2 armed with placards and flyers, between 12 and 1pm.

Staff from stores in Whangarei, Whangamata, North Shore, Botany Downs, Newtown and Riccarton have also been involved in the action. Rotorua staff did not strike.

Bunnings Warehouse New Zealand general manager Brad Cranston could not be reached for comment yesterday but Whakatane National Distribution Union representative Joe Abraham said staff wanted a wage increase as well as a "transparent wage band".

The union had asked for a skills-based pay system but had been turned down by management, he said. Negotiations began in May.

"Right now we are at the very bottom of everything they are legally required to give us. The skeleton staff that work at Bunnings are often asked to work extra hours but we only get our standard hourly rate for those hours - we need more staff or time-and-a-half for extra hours."

He said Bunnings Warehouse was one of only a very few retail stores that still paid youth rates to permanent staff.

According to union organiser Neil Chapman, Bunnings Warehouse had not put any offers on the table and had told union members to come back with a "reasonable and worthwhile offer".

"We believe the offer of a pay increase and transparent wage band is more than reasonable."

Mr Chapman said further strike action was planned.