Factory workers protest outside the Cobram Saputo factory on Wednesday. Photo: Gabriel Garcia.
The Goulburn Valley and Murray areas appear to be among the least impacted from last week’s strike action by milk delivery drivers and dairy factory workers.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Saputo drivers across the state undertook various industrial actions on Tuesday, October 17 and factory employees across numerous dairy processors stopped work on Wednesday and Thursday.
Both the United Dairy Farmers of Victoria (UDV) and Dairy Farmers Victoria (DFV) reported no known cases of northern Victorian farmers needing to dump their milk supply, with most cases of milk ‘tipping’ occurring in the south-east of the state.
Peters Ice Cream storeman David Chapman at last week's dairy factory workers strike outside Peters Ice Cream at Mulgrave. Photo: Andy Wilson
Dairy Food Safety Victoria stipulates milk can only be stored on-farm for two days, forcing those farmers at full storage capacity to dump their Tuesday and Wednesday volumes.
According to media reports, more than 100,000 litres of milk were dumped.
UDV vice-president Bernie Free said he was only aware of Gippsland farmers affected by milk loads not being collected.
A spokesperson from DFV also said that only south-eastern farmers were significantly affected.
“It was Gippsland where farmers had to tip out,” the spokesperson said.
“It’s a very big production time and their storage facilities were all full.”
Katunga dairy farmer Bridget Goulding said she knew of no cases reported to her of local farmers having to dump milk.
“As far as I know, none of our farmers up here were affected by the strike,” Mrs Goulding said.
“Speaking to a tanker driver, I was told that there were local drivers trying to get milk delivered down south from here.
“We were certainly not affected by the strike but, still, I felt relief when the tanker did roll into our driveway.”
The current milking season is considered by farmers as being ‘strong’ with the only major issue being competition for silage.
“Yes, we are on a high at the moment, but there are plenty of times that have been on the down,” Mrs Goulding said.
“We’re having a great year but if you have this sort of stuff sitting around, then if I was a factory worker or driver then I would be very concerned as well.
“The closing of (dairy product company) Saputo’s Maffra factory would also have workers concerned for their job security.
“I think that’s been tucked away in all this.”
Factory employees at Saputo, Fonterra, Peters and Lactalis factories stopped work for 48 hours last week to seek a pay rise of five per cent in each of the next three years.
Workers at the Peters Ice Cream Factory in Mulgrave said negotiations had stalled after an offer of a pay rise of four, three and three per cent over the next three years was offered by management.
Saputo shareholders were told on Friday, August 11 that the company planned to close six of its 11 factories in Australia.
Sources told Country News that drivers voted within their own region with northern drivers not wanting to hurt farmers, opting to continue to collect milk but apply work bans on administrative tasks.
Saputo Dairy Australia was contacted by Country News for comment.
9°C