Woolies pay dispute ends in protest WOOLWORTHS workers have walked off the job on the Gold Coast this morning. Around 150 workers are protesting over pay at the Stapylton Liquor Distribution Centre. Comment is being sought from Woolworths. The workers began their protest at midnight, planning a 24-hour stop work protest. National Union of Workers spokesman Duncan Pegg said the Staplyton staff were paid 13 per cent less than Woolworths workers down the road. He said they were paid an average of 30 per cent less than the equivalent warehouse in Victoria. "What the workers are looking for is justice and the ability to pay a comparable wage," Mr Pegg said. There seems to be a view that it's OK to pay Queenslanders less than workers interstate and there's no reasonable justification for that. He said workers wanted a comparable wage. "The problem is the company hasn't been willing to progress them to comparable wage rates, we haven't seen them take that step," Mr Pegg said. He said the workers moved an average of four tonnes per person per shift with the warehouse recently winning an award from Woolworths for their efficiency. Mr Pegg said Woolworths had known of the protest for months and should have taken action. Protest spokesman Mark Barclay this morning told the ABC workers were asking for a 4.5 per cent pay increase. "It might be a lot higher than inflation, but as I said we work for Woolworths and they have made a huge profit and we have the other warehouses that are paid higher than us," he said. The company has left us with little option. He said workers at the Staplyton site were paid $120 less than workers at other sites and he hoped the protest would make a difference. "We've just had a bit of a mass meeting here on the grass and voted unanimously to take further action," Mr Barclay said. We can't rule out further action in the future. A Woolworths spokesman said all sites across all grades in Woolworths already received pay above the award rate. "We value the contribution of our staff and will work constructively to see the outstanding issues brought to resolution and a return to business as usual," he said. At all sites and across all grades Woolworths already pays above the award rate, and will continue to do so through the new offer. We are a proud Australian company who has a track record of delivering low prices to our customers as well as fair wages and good conditions for our 197,000 staff members.