The destruction of Victoria’s largest chicken processing factory could force the redundancies of hundreds of workers, with the operator still mulling its options. Inghams Enterprises’ Somerville factory went up in smoke on Monday after a fire started in the cardboard storage room on Victoria’s hottest day of the summer so far. And the company is still to decide whether they will rebuild or relocate – with a resolution to be reached in the next six weeks. About 200 workers... ...Read more »

Inghams Enterprises is looking at ways to cope with the loss of the largest chicken processing plant in Victoria after it was destroyed by fire earlier this week. It is still unknown how the Somerville factory went up in smoke on Monday but it has been traced to a cardboard storage room at the facility. The board of the company has held a series of meetings to come up with plans to deal with the issue, but unions are concerned about what the future holds for hundreds of workers at the plant. They... ...Read more »

The Ingham chicken processing factory at Somerville, south east of Melbourne, has been ravaged by fire, although the blaze was brought under control last night. The Country Fire Authority had warned residents in the vicinity of the factory to stay inside because of the smoke, with the large factory fire needing over 100 firefighters to help bring it under control. Four hundred staff were evacuated safely. The CFA added this morning that the fire was now contained, although smoke was still visible... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has given the all clear for Baiada Poultry to purchase the owner of the Steggles brand (Bartter) in a deal that will create a new market leader in the chicken processing industry. The ACCC initially outlined a decision to oppose the combination of Australia’s second and third largest chicken processors but have now been satisfied by a commitment by Baiada to sell Bartter’s Victorian assets to La Ionica Poultry. “On February 11 2009,... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has allowed 18 chicken growers in South Australia to seek to collectively negotiate the terms and conditions of their growing contracts with Inghams Enterprises.Collective bargaining refers to two or more competitors collectively negotiating terms and conditions with a supplier or customer. Without protection, it can raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Trade Practices Act 1974, the ACCC advised. Small businesses can obtain protection... ...Read more »