Chicken shortage could affect Australian supermarkets as Ingham’s poultry workers walk off the job
Chicken shortage could affect Australian supermarkets as Ingham’s poultry workers walk off the job
Shoppers are set to face a chicken shortage, with workers at a major wholesaler taking industrial action that could affect meat stocked at supermarket shelves.
Over a thousand workers at Ingham’s will walk off the job for a day, with staff at the meat producing business demanding a six per cent pay rise every year for three years.
The increase would mean workers would get an extra $1.50 an hour.
The industrial action is set to get underway on Friday, with workers at the company’s factories in Bolivar, in Adelaide’s north and Osborne Park, in Perth’s north-west set to carry out the strikes for 24 hours after strike notices were issued to the company on Monday.
Workers at meat wholesaler Ingham’s (pictured) will walk off the job for 24 hours over a pay dispute, with staff demanding a six per cent pay increase
If a deal is not struck, there are fears of a meat shortage across the major supermarkets including Woolworths and Coles.
It’s understood workers could continue to stay away if their pay demands are not met.
Several other retailers including popular fast food chains KFC and McDonald’s, would also be affected by a potential meat shortage.
Daily Mail Australia contacted Ingham’s for comment.
In a statement, United Workers Union national secretary Tim Kennedy told Daily Mail the pay increase is modest, but staff deserve more pay.
‘Workers at Inghams are only on around $25-an-hour and they are simply asking for an extra $1.50-an-hour,’ Mr Kennedy said.
‘But instead of dipping into their deep pockets, Ingham’s managers have opted for obfuscation and intimidation.
‘It’s really quite atrocious behaviour when you consider these are the very workers who have contributed to their huge profits by showing up every day, during pandemics, in the middle of the night, on public holidays, doing a less-than-glamorous job to make sure Australians have protein on their plates.’
There are fears over a chicken shortage if the pay demands of workers at Ingham’s are not met, with the company’s chicken products stocked at major supermarkets including Coles and Woolworths
The company reported a net profit of $1billion in the 2023 financial year, an increase of 72 per cent from last year.
The union says workers have been lobbying for a pay increase since the start of this year, due to the rising cost of living.
They allege the company has not offered a deal that meets the demands of workers.
It comes after some of Ingham’s chicken products were among several food items that faced shortages earlier this year.
Ingham’s CEO Andrew Reeves told a stockholder meeting in November 2022 that the cost of chicken feed was skyrocketing, while consumer demand was shrinking.
The company’s annual results released in August 2022 showed its spending on chicken feed alone rose more than $45million in 2022.
According to its website, 8,200 people are employed by the company.
The company’s chicken products were among many foods items that faced shortages earlier this year
.