A protest is building outside the Woolworths Liquor Distribution Centre at Stapylton on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

About 170 workers walked off the job at midnight (AEST) claiming they are being severely underpaid by the supermarket giant.

National Union of Workers spokesman (NUW) Duncan Pegg says staff are earning almost $120 a week less than then colleagues elsewhere in Australia.

“They’ve refused to give these guys a fair go,” he said.

“We have been in negotiation with Woolworths for many, many months now.

“Our members get paid 30 per cent less than their counterparts in Melbourne for doing exactly the same work.:

Mr Pegg says the problem has been escalating for months.

“The workers here have worked so hard – they have won the Warehouse of the Year – but Woolworths doesn’t see fit pay these workers the same as the people who do the same work in Melbourne,” he said.

“It is not the objective of this action to impact on liquor supply – we know Queenslanders want to enjoy the V8s this weekend and there is also the cricket final which Queensland hopefully wins.

“That is not the objective of this action and we are hoping Woolworths will see sense and we can make sure there is no disruption to that.”