Workers strike at Glencore’s Australia refinery over pay dispute

Reuters | March 13, 2026 | 7:16 am Top Companies Australia Copper

The refinery produces up to 300,000 tonnes a year of 99.995% pure copper cathode. Credit: Glencore

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.

Members of the union stopped work for four hours at the Townsville refinery before resuming operations.

“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.

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.

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.

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.

(By Nikita Maria Jino and Kumar Tanishk; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Janane Venkatraman)