MURRAY Goulburn Co-operative has cut 54 permanent jobs from across Victoria as a result of changes to its «operational processes and activities».
Australia’s largest dairy food company has confirmed the job cuts in a letter to suppliers and shareholders.
The reduction in permanent roles includes 13 positions at Kiewa; 4 at Cobram; 23 at Leongatha; 3 at Rochester; and 11 at Maffra.
In the letter, Murray Goulburn managing director Gary Helou said all impacted staff would receive full entitlements, be offered counselling and career transitioning services.
«The removal of roles is never a decision taken lightly and where possible the company has sought to minimise the impact on our people by looking first to contract and casual positions, and then voluntary redundancies for permanent roles,» Mr Helou said in the letter.
«We continue to employ more than 2000 people at MG, mainly in rural and regional Australia and contribute an estimated $6 billion to the Australian economy.
«These difficult changes are necessary as it is in the best interest of all our supplier/shareholders, staff, communities, customers and consumers that we are a strong, viable business, able to compete globally and deliver higher farmgate prices.»
Murray Goulburn recently announced it is undertaking a $19 million capacity expansion investment of its Koroit facilities, as the plant prepares to crack the 1 billion litre production mark.
The investment is part of the $127m capital investment announced earlier this month, which will shift the focus from the domestic market to nutritional products for Asian consumers.
Source: The Australian Dairy Farmer
