QVM traders to strike again

Traders at Queen Victoria Market are preparing to strike for the second time due to increasing challenges posed by market management.

Last month, fruit and vegetable traders made history by going on strike for the first time in 150 years, outside the front of QVM Pty Ltd’s offices on Swanston St.

However, disquiet remains among traders, and they are preparing to strike again on March 25, with a number of general merchandising traders and others from different parts of the market set to take part this time around.

Traders accuse the City of Melbourne and the market’s management company, QVM Pty Ltd, of financial mismanagement, shifting costs onto traders and customers to cover budget shortfalls.

Fruit and vegetable trader Frank Fontana told North West City News that additional electricity and waste service fees had made it extremely difficult to operate and that, despite repeated attempts, traders had received no breakdown of these costs.

Mr Fontana said that QVM management was “overpaid, overstaffed and underperforming,” and that traders had provided alternatives that had fallen on deaf ears, including working with farmers to pay for the transport of fruit and vegetable waste so they can use it for compost.

“We don’t work 12 hours a day to solve management's problems,” he said. However, because operating conditions have become so difficult, Mr Fontana believes there is no other option and would like management to work collaboratively with traders to find a solution.

Fruit and vegetable traders protest at the front of QVM Pty Ltd's office on March 25. Photos: Hanna Komissarova.

The CEO of Queen Victoria Market Matt Elliott, told North West City News that QVM management had, to date, absorbed the cost of providing these services while intentionally maintaining minimal rent increases.

“But the time has come when some of the increasing costs associated with providing the services traders need to run their businesses must be shared,” he said.

Over the past 10 years, the daily rent on a single stall has gone up by $5, which Mr Elliot believes is “fair, equitable and transparent.”

However, Mr Fontana said that while this increase didn’t sound like a lot, for traders who had multiple stalls, these costs added up and posed a significant financial burden in what was already a difficult time to operate, given the market had been affected by construction.

“The council has had the market precinct under heavy construction for more than six years, with no prospect of this impediment to trade concluding for many more years,” he added.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece is confident that management will “understand” and make “fair” decisions to ensure the market continues to thrive.

“We’re doing everything we can to minimise the impact on traders during the precinct renewal,” he said. “Since 2017, we’ve provided around $3 million in grants and adapted our works to further reduce disruption to their businesses.”

“We will continue to help traders apply for funding and rent relief, as well as with marketing support and business mentoring.”