Representatives of the Australian Employee Buyout Centre (AEBC) will be in Young next week to explore options for reconstructing the business and perhaps resurrecting the jobs of the workers.

AEBC director, Ian Woods, today said talks held with State and Federal politicians, the Young Shire Council and the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union have been encouraging.

“Everyone we have spoken to so far has been interested in the concept of an employee or community buyout, and has been encouraged by the success of model elsewhere,” Mr Woods said.

“The first step now is to evaluate whether an employee/community lead initiative is feasible in relation to the Young abattoir.

“We’ll be meeting with employees and management of the Burrangong Meat Processors, members of the Local Shire, bank managers and community leaders next week to see if the model can work here,” Mr Woods said.

Mr Woods said employee/community reconstruction was a well-trodden path in Europe and the United States, where hundreds of companies have been rescued to save jobs and communities.

“In Australia we have seen examples such as Norply – a timber mill and board manufacturing company in Kyogle that was rescued by the employees and community in the early 1990’s, saving 135 jobs,” Mr Woods said.

“The key to these reconstructions is that they are more highly productive after the buyout than before,” he said.

Mr Woods said the meeting with employees would be held at noon in Anderson Park on Wednesday, March 3, and all interested employees are encouraged to attend.