After failed pay negotiations, workers at Glencore Australia plan to strike

The Australian Workers' Union (AWU), which represents workers at Glencore's copper'refinery' in North Queensland, announced on Wednesday that they plan to 'go on strike' after nearly a year of 'failed' negotiations over pay and conditions.

The union has said that workers at Townsville refinery will walk off their jobs on Friday if they do not get their concerns addressed at a Thursday bargaining session.

The AWU said that Glencore has refused to give workers a wage increase "decent enough" to keep pace with the cost of living. Talks began between the London-listed company and the AWU in late March last year.

Glencore in an email response to a question said that it was disappointed by the AWU's intention to strike at its Townsville refinery. It remains committed to finding a solution that benefits the workforce.

According to its website, Australia's miner employs 17,000 people and produces "zinc, copper and silver" across 20 active mines.

Last year, the Australian government announced a?600 million A$ ($430.74 millions) bailout for Glencore's Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townsville Refinery over a three-year period. This was in response to Western nations seeking?to strengthen critical mineral supply chain amid concerns about reliance on China.

Glencore stated that despite securing government funding last year, it is expected to continue losing money. $1 = 1.3930 Australian Dollars (reporting and editing by Sumana Nady and Eileen Soreng in Bengaluru)

(source: Reuters)