Locals Not Lazy Say Meat Union

THE Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union has criticised the Australian Meat Industry Council for claiming the reason they don’t employ local people is because they are lazy and on drugs.

The Union said the meat industry prefers to use overseas workers is because they are cheaper, don’t know their workplace rights and therefore easier to control and they support Labor’s move to increase the wages of overseas workers and level the playing field.

Grant Courtney, secretary of the AMIEU Newcastle and Northern NSW, said a Tamworth meat processing facility provides the example of issues facing local workers, where there 14 percent youth unemployment, yet 90 percent of workers at their plant are overseas workers and within only one hour the Union found 100 local people who were willing to work at the facility.

“The actual meat workers of this country are sick and tired of hearing this fake sob story from the big meat business owners and their wealthy lobby groups,” said Mr Courtney.

“These everyday Australians are struggling to pay their bills on low wages, terrified that they could lose their casual job with no warning and wondering how they are supposed to provide for their kids,” he said.

“The last thing they want to hear is big business owners who are making money hand over fist complaining about how tough life is.

“Big red meat companies are raking in millions of dollars a year in profits, paying minimal or even zero tax, while also doing everything they can to increase working hours and decrease wages,” he said.

“Why should anybody care what they have to say about this? It’s absolutely pathetic and nobody is buying it,” Grant Courtney said.