CBH Group is being sued by the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employers Union for allegedly failing to fully pay workers during a strike at its Kwinana Grain Terminal.
The CFMEU lodged a statement of claim in the Federal Court of Australia’s WA registry and named CBH as the defendant.
In its statement of claim, CFMEU alleged the bulk grain handler did not pay remuneration to workers who were part of a protected industrial action held at Kwinana Grain Terminal for four days in January 2023.
There were full work stoppages, partial work bans, and a three-hour ban on unloading or loading rail wagons from the time the train arrived on the grid during the industrial action.
The Countryman understood these actions had a limited impact on CBH’s shipping operations.
Workers considered a further two-week strike in January, but this was avoided following a meeting between CBH bosses and Maritime Union of Australia.
The CFMEU’s notice of industrial action said employees would not be paid for the work stoppages and payments would be duly deducted, according to CFMEU’S claim of statement.
![Workers went on strike at the CBH Kwinana port in January 2023, before the Maritime Union of Australia and CBH reached an agreement.](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/e029ecc19b64fee110c1d803bc9dc178fbe6b439.jpg)
However, the CFMEU alleged its notice of industrial action did not include the reduction of payments for workers who took part in the wagon bans.
The CFMEU alleged these workers were able to perform their ordinary duties and were ready to work in roles unrelated to the wagons, and that CBH had breached the plant operators agreement by failing to pay these affected employees during the wagon ban.
A CBH spokesperson told Countryman the co-operative does not comment on matters before the court, but did provide a brief statement.
“CBH takes its responsibilities to our employees very seriously,” they said.