Dairy Workers

Argentina's major dairy cooperative, SanCor, is in financial crisis and the IUF affiliated dairy union ATILRA has intervened to salvage the company, and save the jobs of thousands of employees and protect communities which depend upon Sancor for their livelihoods.

The union has called on members to regularly donate a contribution of their salaries to the union workers at SanCor who urgently need support.


ATILRA General Secretary, Hector Ponce

The IUF affiliate, the NZ Dairy Workers Union, has been successful in
its strategy to organize workers who work for new employers in their
industry and now has members and collective bargaining agreements with
Danone, Yili and Yashili as well as with some new smaller domestic
companies.

Milk producers in Germany are discussing measures to counter the effects
of fluctuating milk prices. They seek greater certainty in contracting
over quantity and price, expansion and strengthening of cooperative
structures and investment in more niche high demand products.

From July to December 2016, whole milk powder prices rose 73% off a very low base to be at their highest since June 2014. Without better management of supply on a global scale, milk producers
will continue to suffer through boom and bust cycles which destabilize
the industry and put jobs at risk.

Arla Foods have unveiled plans to invest EUR335 million in existing production sites in 2017. This is a 50% increase in investments from the previous year. The production upgrades will facilitate the company shift into more branded sales and food service categories, dairy proteins and spreadable cheese and cream cheese categories.

On August 12, the IUF-affiliated Dairy Employees Federation of India (DEFOI) celebrated International Youth Day for the first time, organizing a conference of young dairy workers from eight districts in the state of Karnataka, India.

Affiliates pledged to increase their efforts in building international union alliances within trans national dairy companies, organize more workers into unions and to share information on collective bargaining and organizing successes.

Dairy employers in Argentina have suspended negotiations with IUF affiliate Atilra as the union works to renew the sector wide collective bargaining agreement.

Workers employed by Lactalis in the Spanish city of Valladolid were joined by supporters on April 23 to protest the determination by the French based dairy TNC to close the factory by the end of June.

The organizing plans of The Dairy Employees Federation of India (DEFOI) focus on increasing the organization of contract workers including women workers. Unions in the federation plan to increase the participation of young workers. DEFOI celebrated their partnership with the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union

Dairy Cooperative Arla Foods has announced that it will close its fresh milk plant in Hatfield Peverel, Essex, by July 2016, slashing up to 230 jobs, including 137 members of the IUF affiliate Unite the Union.