Abattoir vets, meat inspectors caught up in CPSU strikes

The fact it will come against a backdrop of desperately-needed kill capacity, exacerbated by increased numbers of cattle coming in due to fires, has been slammed by beef industry representatives across the supply chain.

Processors have accused the Community and Public Sector Union of holding their industry hostage to wider public servant bargaining, using a critical food supply sector to garner maximum impact because both consumers and farmers will be hurt.

The CPSU is campaigning for better pay and conditions.

On-plant vets and food safety meat assessors who are CPSU members have the option to strike on Wednesday and Friday for an hour under protected industrial action as part of the public service-wide dispute.

The Australian Meat Industry Council said it recognised the role of OPVs and FSMAs and their importance to the export supply chain and agreed with the need for them to be fairly remunerated.

However, AMIC's chief executive officer Patrick Hutchinson said using the meat industry as a bargaining chip against the Federal Government showed the CPSU was not concerned about the risk such action poses to Australia's reputation as a reliable exporter of meat, Australian businesses accessing international markets or the thousands of non-public service employees who would be affected by this.

Speaking at AMIC's 2023 conference in Queensland last week, he said some plants would have to turn off facilities for up to seven hours if the action went ahead.

He said it was disappointing a sector that employed 60,000 full time equivalent workers, and 2.5 times through extended means, was being treated this way by a union.

Analysts said in the current livestock over-supply environment, the loss of any processing capacity would be extremely hard felt by the producer.

"We are seeing massive increases in livestock waiting to be processed as stock are being sold to meat processors in anticipation of a dry season, so this action couldn't come at a worse time," Mr Hutchinson said.

"It's particularly galling that our members will be faced with significant disruptions and risks to their overseas market access despite the majority of CPSU members previously voting to support the current pay offer from the Government and CPSU's leadership still rejected it.

"We unequivocally condemn this action and urge the CPSU to keep the fight in house."