It has been almost seven weeks since 99 workers in JBS Swift’s Longford sheep processing section were suspended and union officials see no quick fix to the situation.
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The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) Tasmanian state secretary Troy Baker said he would be speaking with JBS Swift representatives on Thursday, but expected “nothing to change for the immediate future” after a second four weeks was added to the original four-week suspension in February.
“The AMIEU holds grave fears that the stand down will extend past the predicted four-week period. For some of the 99 workers stood down, this is the second time in the past six months,” Mr Baker said.
Live weight prices for lamb remain high due to stock shortages, but this is causing the meat industry to decline, he said.
“The AMIEU is happy to see growers reach peak prices for their stock, but the prices are getting beyond reach for local producers. The union maintains the view that a major international meat producer, such as JBS, should be raising their live weight purchase price to maintain local employment.
“Tasmania has a world renowned, highly sought after ‘clean green’ product; we should be exploiting our produce, maximising profits for local producers and creating local employment,” Mr Baker said.
While JBS flagged April 21 as a possible date to resume lamb processing, Mr Baker said there had been no further indications of when the suspension would end for these workers, but he suspected it was still a while off because interstate producers controlled the prices in the state’s meat market.
After investigating the suspensions, the AMIEU discovered breaches in the workplace agreement stand down obligations and bought these to the abattoir management’s attention.
“Despite obvious breaches being raised, JBS decided not to follow the workplace agreement and leave these workers at home without an income. The contempt shown to these workers is second to none,” Mr Baker said.
Some of the workers who were suspended have decided to look for alternative employment.
“To leave these workers technically employed, but with no access to a wage or government funding is immoral on all levels, and leaves them in a position that they must quit in order to try and get some sort of financial assistance just to survive,” he said.
“If these workers were made redundant they would be entitled to one full day off on full pay to try and find future employment, but instead they are home with no access to money in any way,” Mr Baker said.
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Johanna Baker-Dowdell
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
Johanna has more than 22 years experience as a journalist for newspapers, magazines and online publications.
