Finance
Workers strike at glencore's Australia refinery over pay dispute
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 13, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 13, 2026
Quick Summary
Workers at Glencore’s Townsville copper refinery in North Queensland staged a four‑hour strike on March 13, 2026, after nearly a year of failed wage and conditions negotiations with the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU). The union warned that action will continue unless Glencore improves its offer.
Workers strike at Glencore's Australia refinery over pay dispute
Strike Details and Ongoing Negotiations
March 13 (Reuters) - Workers at Glencore's copper refinery in North Queensland went on strike after negotiations that began nearly a year ago failed to resolve disputes over better wages and working conditions, the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) said on Friday.
Strike Action and Union Response
- Members of the union stopped work for four hours at the Townsville refinery before resuming operations.
Union Statement
- "If Glencore aren't interested in improving on their offer, the action will continue," AWU Northern District secretary Jim Wilson said. He added that the union does not plan any further action for now.
Background to the Dispute
- On Wednesday, the union said it planned to go on strike as the miner had refused to offer workers a "decent" wage increase that kept up with the rising cost of living.
About Glencore's Operations
- The London-listed company mines zinc, copper, silver and other minerals across 20 active operations in Australia and employs about 17,000 people, according to its website.
Company Response
- Glencore, in an emailed response to Reuters, reiterated that it remained committed to securing an agreement with its workforce and added that the union's political grandstanding risked eroding the constructive engagement achieved with negotiators.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Kumar Tanishk; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Janane Venkatraman)
Key Takeaways
- •Nearly year‑long negotiations at Glencore’s North Queensland refinery broke down, prompting a four‑hour walkout by AWU‑represented workers at Townsville. (miningweekly.com)
- •The AWU demands a wage increase sufficient to match Australia’s rising cost of living; talks began in late March 2025. (worldenergynews.com)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Workers strike at Glencore's Australia refinery over pay dispute
1Why did workers at Glencore's Australia refinery go on strike?
Workers went on strike over unresolved disputes about improved wages and working conditions after nearly a year of negotiations.
2How long did the initial strike at Glencore's copper refinery last?
According to the AWU, union members stopped work for four hours before resuming operations.
