New milk threats

IF UNION demands for pay and conditions are not met at meetings with the four major processors today (October 24) the strike action that saw hundreds of thousands of litres of milk lost in South Gippsland alone last week could be back on as early as Wednesday.

That’s the word from the United Workers Union this week who say dairy workers at milk processing sites across Victoria are prepared to launch indefinite strikes immediately.

The looming strike action follows a vote by all 1400 workers, endorsing further industrial action, after they returned to work from a 48-hour stoppage last week.

The threat of indefinite stoppages, on top of last week’s strike, adds pressure to already-stretched dairy supply chains which has included milk rationing imposed in some supermarkets after the massive loss of supply.

“Dairy workers have shown they are serious about winning a pay rise that goes some way to address their soaring cost of living,” said Tim Kennedy, the National Secretary of United Workers Union.

“They are sick of the mushroom treatment from these multinationals after more than six months of talks.

“In meetings with the four major processors this week workers expect fair offers to their reasonable demands of a five per cent pay increase each year for three years, and they will not put up with being short-changed,” he said.

He said 320 workers at Fonterra sites in Cobden, Stanhope and Darnum had endorsed taking six days of strike action, in rolling 24-hour stoppages from Wednesday and Thursday this week.

“The 560 workers at Saputo sites Cobram, Leongatha, Kiewa and Laverton have endorsed further industrial action if talks with the company fail on Tuesday. Workers at Lactalis Longwarry have endorsed further industrial action if talks this week do not resolve the issue. And the 200-plus workers at Peters Ice Cream in Mulgrave will meet today (EDS: Monday, October 23) to discuss next steps in the dispute.

“The unity shown by dairy workers has been extraordinary as they campaign for a cost-of-living wage rise and secure jobs in their communities,” Mr Kennedy said. “These workers and their jobs are the backbone of regional communities, and workers are taking this action so those jobs can continue into the future.”

Mulgrave dairy worker Dave Chapman said workers were committed to further action if no satisfactory outcome could be reached.

“For a long time we have been feeling left behind, neglected, not recognised by the company with what we have been offered,” he said.

“This is the most united we have ever been. The message should get through to management that we’re not being unreasonable and that we are united in what we are after.” 

The unions have claimed this could lead to shortages of consumer staples including Cheer and Cracker Barrel cheese from Warrnambool, Devondale long life milk and butter from Leongatha,

Danone yoghurt, Western Star butter and milk to supply McDonalds Restaurants.

And while local milk producers were happy to see collections resume last Thursday, the fact that strike action is still hanging over their heads was as much a concern.

“If they continue on with this, it ultimately comes out of the milk price affecting the local community and the whole industry,” said Leongatha South milk producer and farmer representative, Ben Vagg.

“If they want to do something about the future of the industry and about attracting new and younger people into dairy farming, they should stop taking industrial action during peak flow.”

Mr Vagg lost 3000 litres of milk on Wednesday, half of his daily production, when it couldn’t be picked up by the time the cows were due to be milked again.

“They fitted us in on the first day, but couldn’t get to us on Wednesday,” said Ben.

“We saved some of the milk for calf feed but lost the rest. It’s disappointing,” he said.

Mr Vagg had 7000 litres of milk cooling in a brimful vat late last Thursday afternoon but was fortunate enough to have it picked up prior to the start of a delayed evening milking.

Dozens of other dairy farmers across the region lost more.

Ashley Zuidema at Yanakie tipped out 5500 litres on Tuesday but received a pick-up on Wednesday.

“They’ve said we’re going to get paid for it, but it’s pretty hard to watch all your hard work going down the drain, into the effluent pond, which presents another problem.

“Too much milk is not good for the aerobic system of the effluent dam,” he said.

Mr Zuidema praised the efforts taken by the processors to scramble extra drivers to combat the crisis, but unions say they’ll stop that next time.

Dairy Farmers Victoria expressed concern last week about the ramifications of the strike on the dairy supply chain.

“While we respect the rights of the unions and processors to periodically review both pay and conditions,” they said, strike action not only hurt the farmers and their communities but also the consumers and the environment.

“Our cows will continue to produce milk and our consumer family will continue to need milk and we need to be ready to supply that milk,” said DFV.