Ingham turkey workers hope to take over South Australian factory due to close this month

A group of workers from the closing Ingham's turkey processing plant at McLaren Vale south of Adelaide is working with local producers to take over the factory.

Inghams will close the plant later this month with 79 people to lose their jobs as the company moves the work to plants in New South Wales.

The relocation will leave seven South Australian farms - currently contracted to produce 4,000 turkeys a week for Inghams - without contracts.

National Workers Union lead organiser Tony Snelson said workers and producers have formed the Fleurieu Poultry Co-op and hoped to buy or lease the business and set-up their own factory.

"It's a number of workers and producers who believe that there is still value in continuing a business from their operation," Mr Snelson said.

"Many of the workers were devastated with the announcement of the closure of their factory.

"A lot of them are local with children who go to school around the McLaren Vale area ... and they know there is little chance of finding alternate employment in and around that immediate area."

Co-op funding options to be revealed

Mr Snelson said they would launch the campaign at a public meeting in McLaren Vale where they would outline the funding options for the co-op.

"The closure of the plant involves about 80 jobs and we've probably got about 50 per cent of those people who support the co-op," he said.

"It operated quite well before Inghams took over as a small, independent business and can operate again, quite easily, as a small, independent business."

Mr Snelson said the union was providing some money to cover legal costs and hoped to get a State Government grant to carry out a feasibility study.

"Following that we will be looking for support from banks and other business associations," he said.

Source : ABC News  December 1st 2014