The AMWU is working to ensure that food manufacturing jobs remain in Australia, while building closer ties with unions in New Zealand to promote solidarity amongst food workers internationally.

Hundreds of food manufacturing jobs in Australia have been lost to New Zealand over the last two years, particularly in the state of Tasmania.

100 redundancies will begin next month at the McCain vegetable processing plant at Smithton in north-west Tasmania, after the company announced in November its plans to close the plant and move production to New Zealand.

This follows the loss of 160 jobs at Cadbury’s Clarement plant, when the chocolate manufacturer announced in 2008 it would close its Assortments line and move production to Dunedin in New Zealand.

The take-over of Cadbury by US food-giant Kraft has sparked fears of more job losses.

AMWU Tasmanian Secretary, Anne Urquhart said that the AMWU was calling on the Federal government to do more to support local food manufacturing and ensure no more jobs are lost.

Cadbury takeover

Ms Urquhart said the new Cadbury owners must recognise the knowledge and skill-base of their Australian workforce.

“The takeover by Kraft earlier this year had led to some feelings of insecurity from our members, but there has not been any noticeable change on site as yet,” she said.

“The first Cadbury site in Australia was built at Claremont and this factory is so important to Tasmania. We’re hopeful that management will acknowledge the value of Australian workers to their company and ensure that no more jobs are lost.”

Cadbury employs between 200 and 300 staff in at its Ringwood plant, another 150 at its Scoresby facility and about 600 at its biggest factory at Claremont in Tasmania.

Ms Urquhart said the decision to send jobs to New Zealand in 2008 in order to “streamline” production had not improved efficiency at the Claremont site.

“The restructure has not been without its dramas. The machines are not running as smoothly as management predicted, and as a result the factory has now moved to a seven day operation to ensure enough product is made.”

McCain’s workers receive entitlements, but local employment still hit hard

Ms Urquhart said the union collective agreement covering workers at McCain will ensure those who are made redundant receive four weeks pay for every year of service.

She expects the redundancies at the vegetable processing plant to begin in May.

“The first group of workers will go on May 7th this year.”

“The closure of the vegetable plant was devastating news for the workers, and in fact the whole community of Smithton and the broader North Coast of Tasmania,” she said.

“McCain’s is a significant employer within Smithton, employing over 250 people directly in the operation, with over 100 of them being made redundant as a result of the closure. There are also about 100 growers who will be affected by the closure, not to mention the transport operators and small business owners who will also lose business.”

Ms Urquhart has been active in a task-force set up by the Tasmanian State Government to try and attract more businesses and employment to north-west Tasmania in the wake of the redundancies at McCain in Smithton.

A French fry plant remains in operation on the McCain’s site, with good wage rates and conditions achieved by AMWU members.

But Ms Urquhart fears the workers in New Zealand will not benefit from the same conditions and she’s calling on union leaders in New Zealand to take action.

“The McCains Smithton site was fully unionised, with good wage rates and good conditions outlined in the Union Collective Agreement. It’s really important that workers in New Zealand get behind their union to ensure the jobs in McCain’s also bring with it good wages and conditions. “