![Workers at Allansford's Saputo factory are striking for 48 hours. Picture by Anthony Brady Workers at Allansford's Saputo factory are striking for 48 hours. Picture by Anthony Brady](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/154914734/082b95a6-a99e-4f74-a5ea-301074117afd.jpg/r0_0_5243_3495_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
UPDATE, 3.15pm:
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Industrial action is not impacting the collection of milk from farmers supplying their products to Fonterra Cobden, a director says.
There are 160 workers from the site's Western Star butter and Woolworths home brand milk and cream divisions taking part in the 48-hour strike, which started on Wednesday, October 18.
Fonterra Australia supply chain and operations director Rob Howell said despite the United Workers' Union (UWU) action, the business had contingency plans in place.
"Our primary focus was to ensure all of our farmers' milk was collected and ready to turn into the dairy products our customers love," Mr Howell said on Thursday, October 19.
"We are confident milk collections for our dairy farmers will continue as normal during the second day of industrial action.
"(The) deliveries of dairy products also continued (according) to plan.
"While we are disappointed the UWU chose to take this industrial action, we remain focused on continuing to negotiate in good faith.
"Our sincere thanks go to our entire team who continued to work despite the industrial action to ensure we are there for our farmers, our colleagues, our customers and the regional communities in which we operate."
Union delegate and Cobden factory worker of almost two years, Rob Lovell said he was striking because he believed in fair working conditions and fair pay during the cost of living crisis.
He said the workers were not benefiting from the profits the company was making.
"When people say, 'what about the consumers and that', well they've already put the prices up of the milk and the butter and they're getting paid more for the milk, but were not seeing any of that," Mr Lovell said.
"At the end of the day, we're consumers as well.
"The more money we get, the more we can support ourselves and the company and purchase the products we're producing."
![The Saputo factory in Allansford. Picture: Anthony Brady The Saputo factory in Allansford. Picture: Anthony Brady](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/jessica.howard/95c1e7bb-07eb-46d1-bc67-f14bb02a765c.jpg/r0_0_4476_2328_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
EARLIER, OCTOBER 19:
A milk processing company's approach to paid emergency service leave for workers is being called out by regional Victorian dairy union members as the state's biggest dairy strike in living memory enters its second day.
More than 1400 workers from four major dairy companies, including Saputo and Fonterra, are taking 48 hours of strike action in Victoria, calling on major multinationals for a wage increase to address the cost-of-living crisis.
There are 300 union members at the Allansford Saputo factory and 160 from the Cobden Fonterra plant involved.
They started a 48-hour strike on Wednesday, October 18.
Among dairy workers' claims is also paid emergency service leave so volunteer Country Fire Authority workers can address natural disasters when necessary.
It's understood that while that claim is part of the current EBA negotiations, it's not a key hurdle in the talks as UWU members at Allansford chase a 15 per cent pay rise over three years.
"You can't run a dairy processing plant if all the dairy farms are burnt out," United Workers Union National Secretary Tim Kennedy said.
Mr Kennedy said Saputo's failure to come to the table on paid emergency service leave was a sign of a multinational dairy corporation being out of touch with the regional communities it depends on.
"Workers who have done significant volunteering with the CFA fighting blazes that have threatened local businesses have been forced to stop those activities because Saputo refuses to offer paid emergency service leave to its workforce," he said.
"Emergency service leave is one of the reasons these workers are on strike, because they know how important their volunteering during emergencies is to others in their regional community."
![Union delegates David Clements and Dan Brown during the strike at Saputo in Allansford. Picture by Anthony Brady Union delegates David Clements and Dan Brown during the strike at Saputo in Allansford. Picture by Anthony Brady](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/grbest%40fairfaxmedia.com.au/28cbe10f-17ce-44ad-a374-b1190f4976c8.jpg/r1043_0_5866_3911_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Saputo Allansford delegate Dan Brown agreed.
"We've had members of the emergency services who have pulled out of those services because when they have gone off to provide emergency and disaster relief they haven't been paid," he said.
"They should be paid. They are out looking after our suppliers, looking after us in the community and they're representing Saputo."
Fonterra Cobden delegate Rob Lovell said the company had made in-principle agreements about paid emergency service leave during the negotiations.
In 2018 fires near Cobden claimed milking herds and Fonterra Cobden was evacuated.
"In regional Victoria we're prone to bushfires, and emergency service leave is really important," Mr Lovell said.
"A couple of years ago there actually was a bushfire and they had to evacuate the site because there was smoke.
"I do believe paid emergency service leave is a good idea because it's about people looking after their own communities and having that support in their communities."
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