Dairy Workers

IUF affiliate ATILRA reached a settlement in its dispute with the Buenos Aires cheese manufacturer Barazza S.A. in the third day of a strike.

Danone revealed at the end of February 2016 that it has made two transactions in Africa, a continent the French group dubs "a strategic region" for the company.

Workers employed by the Buenos Aires cheese manufacturer Barazza S.A. began an indefinite strike on February 29 in defense of their basic rights. The company harassed union delegates and members of the Argentinian dairy union ATILRA after issues were raised concerning non compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the company avoidance of obligations with regard to members' health and education.

Local management at the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) dairy plant in Nabha, India, launched a series of attacks on the trade union in response to demands to recognize the right of long-term casual workers to permanent jobs. 

A court in Turkey determined that the language used in the Tekgıda-İş campaign material against Sütaş, one of the leading national dairy companies, was based on the concrete facts about the unfairly dismissed workers and therefore should be considered as freedom of expression not unfair competition.

Danone has announced an investment of EUR240m (US$255m) that will see it construct a "state-of-the-art" infant formula facility in Cuijk, the Netherlands. The facility will start production in late 2017 and manufacture Danone's early life nutrition brands including Aptamil and Nutrilon for both standard and specialized products.

Dairy unions in India are committed to fighting the back door privatization of cooperative dairies in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and to saving the jobs of thousands of members. In the recent meeting of Dairy Employees Federation of India (DEFOI), unions from all over the country committed strong support to UP dairy workers.

On August 28 2015, two IUF affiliates representing Danone workers in Russia - AIWUR and NOVOIPROF - ratified a new national agreement with Danone Russia. The agreement aims to clarify the provisions of Danone-IUF 1997 agreement applied in case of changes in activities related to employment or terms of employment and interpret it in a way to be fully implemented in line with the national legislation and local context.

"We and our brothers and sisters in the dairy industries in NZ, Australia and the US share several concerns."

The IUF-affiliated Unite that represents workers at UK cheese-to-spreads group Dairy Crest has criticized the bonus the group's chief executive is reportedly due on completion of the sale of Dairy Crest's dairies division to Muller. The union's stinging attack comes ahead of pay talks scheduled for the end of the month.

DEFOI with support from the IUF will research TNC entry into India and conduct activist education to strengthen the ability of unions to respond effectively to the changing organizing and bargaining environment.

Teamsters Local 997 members at Danone`s Fort Worth, Texas, plant have ratified an agreement with the company, gaining participation in the Western Conference of Teamsters pension fund, the largest multi-employer pension plan in the United States. The three-year agreement also includes wage increases and health care protections.

The Dairy Division Coordinating Group met in San Francisco, California, on October 3&4 to discuss strategies to defend rights and organize more workers under the Fair Deal For Dairy Workers initiative.

Workers at the Saputo Inc. cheese production facility in Lena,Wisc., have voted overwhelmingly, 367 to 79, in favor of representation by Teamsters Local 662 in Green Bay, Wisc. There are 459 production, maintenance and warehouse workers.