The State Government and unions are working to find jobs for workers who will be made redundant when the Bega Group shuts down the Betta Milk processing faciility in Burnie next month.
The Bega Group has announced it will be closing its Burnie plant, which also manufactures the Pyengana Milk brand on March 18th, ending a 65-year association with the Coastal city.
Bega says the Burnie site is an ageing facility which has a number of challenges, including safety and environmental impacts and was no longer commercially viable.
It says there will be no changes to milk being sourced from North-West dairy farms.
Meanwhile, Jobs Tasmania says it will engage with Bega to ensure impacted employees receive comprehensive support and information about their options to find new work.
Workers made redundant can also access up to $3000 for training and skills upgrades which will help them move into other roles quickly through the State Government’s Rapid Response Skills Initiatives.
Australian Workers Union Tasmanian branch assistant secretary Rob Flanagan says the union’s preference is for Bega to have invested further in the future of the Burnie facility, but he’s hopeful workers will be able to find jobs with other Coastal milk processors.
Mr Flanagan says the union has had very positive discussions with local processors Saputo in Burnie and Fonterra at Wynyard.
