Stocks at Chemist Warehouse could run out in days as workers look to begin striking as early as next week
- Workers at three of retail pharmacy's warehouses have backed industrial action
- Retailer's supply could be cut short by strikes in Victoria and one in Queensland
- National Union of Workers said workers paid 25 per cent less than competitors
- Union also want more of the company's workforce to be full-time employees
Stocks at discount retailer Chemist Warehouse could be about to run out in a matter of days as workers prepare to go on strike.
Workers at three of the retail pharmacy's east coast warehouses have backed industrial action - asking for a pay rise of between 25 and 30 per cent.
The National Union of Workers said the chain would struggle to meet the weight of customer demand were workers to go through with the strike, which could begin early next week.
Stocks at discount retailer Chemist Warehouse could be about to run out in a matter of days with its workers set to go on strike as early as next week (stock image)
'Our members at Chemist Warehouse are paid 25 per cent less than industry competitors and yet the owners are worth over a billion dollars,' union national secretary Tim Kennedy said.
He added the union's members were responsible for the distribution of more than a million items every week.
The NUW told The Sydney Morning Herald aside from pay, they wanted higher levels of job security.
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The union said 25 per cent of workers at Chemist Warehouse's Preston and Somerton sites in Victoria are full-time, far short of their target of 70 per cent.
Union delegate Husain Alqatari, who is also a worker at one of the warehouses, said casual workers had to 'fight like animals' to earn shifts with the company.
'You have to work fast - if you don't reach your target you don't get your shift,' he said.
'Our members at Chemist Warehouse are paid 25 per cent less than industry competitors and yet the owners are worth over a billion dollars,' union national secretary Tim Kennedy said (stock image)
The proposed strike follows Chemist Warehouse being ordered to back-pay more than $3.5million to its workers in 2016 after the Fair Work Ombudsman uncovered it had not paid its workers for compulsory online training they did in their own time.
As many as 5976 employees, making up around two-thirds of their were force, were given $600 each on average following the ombudsman audit.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Chemist Warehouse for comment.
