We are sure all of our members have had the same experience whenever negotiations for a new agreement are underway – inevitably, the company declares itself unprofitable and unviable.
However, the statistics never really fit the spin. In the period 2012/2013, Australian meat processors broke a new record by exporting in excess of one million tonnes of processed beef to overseas destinations. This is the first time in history the one million tonne mark has been broken. The leading Australian agricultural research entity, ABARES, is also predicting similar volumes for the years to come.
ABS international trade statistics also tell a significant story. In the period from January 2013 to September 2013, the FOB value of Australia’s beef exports was $4.054 billion. To make a comparison, in the period from January 2012 to September 2012, the FOB value of Australia’s beef exports was $3.36 billion. Again, in the period from January 2011 to September 2011, the FOB value of Australia’s beef exports was $3.357 billion.
It was of no surprise to the AMIEU to see a recent survey of Queensland’s top 100 companies with Teys/Cargill listed at #1 due to a “boom year” and a massive jump in revenue to $2.16 billion. But that didn’t stop them from crying poor and threatening to close the Beenleigh plant during enterprise bargaining negotiations!
It also demonstrates a lack of ethics and corporate candour; a culture that always comes from the top.
