Chad Wyatt has worked at a Super A-Mart distribution warehouse in Melbourne’s northern suburbs for two and a half years. He’s never had a pay rise; the last time wages went up was in 2010.

Super A-Mart sells discount furniture. Business, it seems, is going well. “The company is expanding rapidly – opening a new store every three of four months”, says Chad, National Union of Workers (NUW) delegate at the Somerton shed where stock is picked for the company’s Victorian outlets. “We can see they’re making a lot of profit”, he says.

Workers in the warehouse are pushing for their first enterprise agreement. Their log of claims includes a pay rise, rostered days off and a casuals conversion clause. They also want the company to establish a health and safety committee. Safety standards in the warehouse are on the decline, with two-person picking teams reduced to one.

“We haven’t got anywhere in negotiations for two months, so we’ve had to go on strike [7 March] to try and force the company to react. The company’s reaction now is to lock us out indefinitely”, Chad told Red Flag at the picket outside the warehouse gates. “We’re here day and night, sleeping and doing what we need to do to cover the gates.”

Chad says they plan on sticking it out until they get the result they want. “As soon as businesses take the initiative to cheat their workers and take the initiative to reduce health and safety standards then that will spread – it really takes people like us to make a stand to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

To show solidarity, supporters are welcome at 83 Freight Drive, Somerton. Check the NUW and Red Flag websites for updates in coming days.