The Meat Workers Union was devastated to learn today that Inghams plans to shut down its poultry processing operations in Cardiff, putting 350 locals out of work and destroying the lives of working families in the area.
This brutal shut down comes as massive international private equity firm TPG Capital completes their program of fattening up the Ingham Enterprises for what is expected to be an extremely profitable float.
TPG Capital acquired Ingham Enterprises in 2013 for $880 million, and since then has been in the process of selling various parts of the portfolio to other equity firms and investment companies. Today’s decision is another nail in the coffin for local Australian workers, who increasingly find themselves and their local community at the mercy of heartless international billionaires.
AMIEU Newcastle & Northern NSW secretary Grant Courtney described the decision as “an absolute disgrace”.
“This is a disgusting, stone-hearted act by an unspeakably wealthy private equity firm who don’t care one bit for the local families and the local communities that they are destroying.”
“It is an absolute outrage that international firms are allowed to seize control of profitable Australian-owned businesses, squeeze them for as much money as they can, and then throw them and their workers into the trash.”
Union officers will be on site tomorrow June 9 to speak with members and other employees, as well as to hold discussions with Inghams representatives about what can be done to help as many people as possible stay afloat at this terrible time.