Union Hopes to Secure 80 Jobs for Ingham's Workers

BY GARY LYSAGHT

Workers at the soon to be closed Ingham’s processing site at Cardiff have been thrown a lifeline by rival Baiada Poultry.

Baiada has struck a deal with the Meat Workers Union to hold discussions over taking up to 80 of the workers who aren’t seeking redundancies.

Ingham’s is set to close the Cardiff site in August, citing the need to reduce expenditure as the main reason.

Baiada are set to employ 80 of its rivals staff [Source: Newcastle Herald]

Meat Workers Union Newcastle branch secretary Grant Courtney says the highly skilled workforce is being courted by many employers.

“We’ve also been contacted by JBS, which is the biggest meat processor in the world, based at Scone.  They’ve said if there’s any skilled workers that would like to apply out there, by all means,” he said.

Courtney says workers are also being asked to apply at another Baiada site at Tamworth, while other workers have asked for transfers to Ingham’s Sydney site.

“It’s one of our principle policies about employers having a moral obligation to employ locals first,” says Courtney who believes Baiada are doing just that.

“The company has always said we haven’t got enough skilled workers.  Well now we’ve got a fully skilled workforce that is available,” he said.

Around 360 full time and casual staff work at the Cardiff site and while Courtney admits he doesn’t know when they’ll move on to their new positions, he’s still overwhelmed with the outcome.

“I’m very, very happy and supportive of Baiada [for] taking the high moral ground on this issue and hopefully offering employment to the Cardiff/Novacastrian workforce,” he said.

Ingham's Employees Lose Job Security

BY GARY LYSAGHT

The Meat Workers' Union has expressed its outrage over the forced closure of the Ingham's processing plant at Cardiff, which will leave 355 workers without a job after August.


The company has said the closure is in an effort to cut costs and save money at a range of outlets across Australia since Ingham's was purchased by a large, American company 3 years ago.

Ingham's employees leave, knowing their job is no longer secure [Source: The Newcastle Herald]

The news was broken to the highly unionised workforce on Wednesday afternoon, giving workers only six weeks to find new employment.

Ingham's has confirmed they will provide redundancy payouts to workers, as well as paying for training programs for current employees to find new work.

Meat Worker's Union Branch Secretary Grant Courtney says Ingham's still isn't doing enough for their employees who don't have the skills to do much else.

"These people have worked in the industry a long time ... the company's just going to throw them on the scrap heap," he said.

He says Ingham's isn;t doing much for Cardiff workers, but it's working hard to make the processing industry in Australia better.

"They're going to invest $400 million in the processing industry, and that's a good thing for the industry, but it's not good for our member at Cardiff," he says.

"If the company's got that amount of money to splurge around to improve other processing plants across the country and can't throw money out to Cardiff; I just think it's a bad call."

Union members and executives are calling for a town hall meeting some time next week in an effort to discuss what's next for meat processing in the Hunter.

Courtney has worked with Ingham's to change their minds, but hasn't been successful.

"We've asked the company to go back to their senior figureheads and get them to reconsider their position [but] the company has said no at this stage, the decision is final, that's what it is."

Ingham's To Close Cardiff Factory

BY IAN CROUCH

Workers at the Inghams Chicken Factory at Cardiff have shed tears after being told the plant is closing down in August.

350 jobs will be lost as a result of the closure with the company deciding the site is too expensive to run.


The company says it will honour redundancy entitlements and offer assistance to retrain workers as well as offering redeployment to another Ingham's site.

However the Meat Workers Union says the nearest factory is in Brisbane and this would not be practical or viable for the majority of workers.

Union representatives will speak with staff today.

Ingham's Staff Leaving Work After Being Told Cardiff Plant To Close Photo Courtesy theherald.com