Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union

General information

The Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union is the union that represents the interests of workers in the meat industry including butchers, slaughterers, boners, smallgoods makers, wrapper packers, workers in abattoirs, boning rooms, slaughter houses, retail shops, supermarkets, smallgoods factories, wholesalers, caterers, by-products and rendering plants, meat markets, pre-packing areas, runner processors and various others sectors of the meat and by-product industry such as drivers and salespeople. The AMIEU is part of the Australian union movement that serves to protect and represent the interests of workers in a number of ways - through its representative group, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), and on an individual union basis, the union movement lobbies government to pass laws to protect workers rights in regard to industrial relations, occupational health and safety, workers compensation. AMIEU Animal Welfare Policy The AMIEU condemns absolutely any cruel treatment of animals whether during the transportation of or processing for meat production. The AMIEU supports the safe and humane handling of animals, during transportation and unloading of livestock, the construction of races and holding yards or other infrastructure that facilitates the smooth movement of animals involving the least amount of stress, the handling of animals that involves the least amount of prodding or handling, and that animals are either stunned or rendered fully unconscious prior to slaughter. The AMIEU welcomes any improvements made by employers to facilitate the humane treatment of animals and undertakes to actively promote and to encourage AMIEU members to work strictly in accordance with the animal handling policies and procedures set out and provided by the employer at each site. If no policies and procedures are set out by a particular employer for the humane treatment of animals the AMIEU will promote and encourage its members to al all times handle animals in such a fashion that ensures that animals are not harmed or mistreated in any way.