Tasmanian unions are urging the public to boycott Saputo Dairy products, until the multinational manufacturing giant stops paying Tasmanian workers less than it pays workers at its mainland sites.
Workers at Saputo Dairy Australia manufacture popular consumer brands including CHEER, Cracker Barrell, Devondale, Great Ocean Road, King Island Dairy, Liddells, Mersey Valley, Mil Lel, South Cape, Sungold and Tasmanian Heritage across several Australian sites. But Saputo is paying workers at its Burnie site 21% less than it pays people in the same jobs in Victoria.
Despite negotiating with the company for months to end the mainland wage disparity in its next wage agreement, Saputo has so far failed to offer Tasmanian workers a fair deal that will enable them to meet basic living expenses in the same way as their mainland counterparts.
Unions will today take the message into the community, asking consumers to stop purchasing Saputo Dairy products.
‘CEPU and AMWU members working at Saputo in Burnie are standing strong, and Unions Tasmania and our affiliate unions are behind them every step of the way,’ said Unions Tasmania Secretary Jessica Munday. ‘We see too many employers expecting to get discount labour in our state, but our work is not worth less just because of where we live.’
‘Ending the mainland wage gap matters for all Tasmanians. Cost of living pressure will keep biting more in Tasmania, while our average wages are thousands of dollars less than on the mainland. We’re calling on the Tasmanian consumers to show Saputo it’s unacceptable to pay us less, by simply not purchasing their products until they fix this’.
Union members will be outside Woolworths in the Hobart CBD at lunch time today handing out flyers promoting the boycott.
Details
When: Today - Tuesday 2 July 2024
Where: Liverpool St entrance to the Wellington Centre, near Westpac
Time: 12:00pm
For further comment: Jessica Munday 0417 454 809
Access PDF copy: Media Release + Alert: Unions Tasmania urges the community to boycott Saputo Dairy products.pdf
