Workers at Glencore’s copper refinery in Townsville, North Queensland, have launched strike action after prolonged negotiations over pay and conditions failed to produce an agreement between the company and unions representing the workforce.

The walkout follows nearly a year of enterprise bargaining talks between Glencore and several unions, including the Australian Workers’ Union, the Electrical Trades Union and the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

Union representatives said employees decided to take industrial action after negotiations stalled and workers rejected the company’s latest pay proposal.

Union officials argue that Glencore’s wage offer does not keep pace with rising living costs and leaves workers earning significantly less than employees performing similar roles at nearby industrial facilities.

Some union leaders have claimed refinery staff could be paid up to thirty per cent below prevailing local market rates, a gap they say has made it difficult to recruit and retain skilled workers.

According to union statements, the proposed deal would provide only modest wage growth over several years, an outcome workers say effectively reduces real income when inflation is taken into account.

In response, employees staged a coordinated walkout at the Townsville refinery, marking the first industrial action at the site.

Glencore has defended its position, saying it remains committed to reaching an agreement that supports its workforce while recognising the financial challenges facing the operation.

The company has said its proposal includes a salary increase spread across several years and insists it continues to negotiate in good faith with union representatives.

The dispute is unfolding at a sensitive time for the facility, which forms part of Glencore’s North Queensland copper operations.

The refinery processes copper produced at the Mount Isa smelter and handles materials from other sources, making it one of Australia’s most significant copper refining sites.

Last year the refinery and its associated smelter received a government financial support package worth around six hundred million Australian dollars over three years, designed to preserve critical mineral processing capacity and maintain jobs in the region.

Union leaders say workers strongly supported efforts to secure the funding package and now expect improved wages and conditions in return.

They argue that the refinery’s long-term viability depends on attracting skilled labour with competitive pay.

Glencore, however, has warned that the North Queensland copper operations remain financially challenging and that the focus of management is ensuring the refinery and smelter can continue operating despite difficult market conditions.

The strike adds further pressure to negotiations between the company and its workforce.

Both sides have indicated they remain open to continued discussions, but unions have signalled that additional industrial action could follow if a revised agreement is not reached.