The National Union of Workers slammed the poultry business this week for hiring up to 200 workers on 417 and 457 visas each day as part of an agreement with labour hire companies.

The union alleges the workers are overworked and underpaid.

Hazeldene's managing director John Hazeldene hit back on Wednesday, stating the comments amounted to "scaremongering".

"We have enterprise agreements negotiations happening with our employees at the moment, so this NUW-led slander is a fear mongering campaign designed to drive more union memberships," he said.

"The unions claims that we underpay migrant workers are absolutely false and defamatory."

Workers at Hazeldene's this week told the Bendigo Advertiser 10 minibuses of Taiwanese and Vietnamese workers arrive at the site at 7am each morning, and leave at 7pm in the evening.

Demand for produce from the Lockwood site has increased rapidly in recent years as chicken consumption in Australia expanded.

Staff numbers at Hazeldene's has increased from 480 to 720 in the last five years.

NUW Victoria secretary Gary Maas said the company had made assurances the visa workers would only work in the boning facility, but they have since expanded to unskilled areas of the factory.

Mr Maas also claimed workers had previously been paid in cash off-site.

Mr Hazeldene refuted these claims, and said the business had a high standard of workplace practices.

"We absolutely deplore any form of worker exploitation," he said.

"If anyone has any evidence of instances of unfair working conditions, they should be immediately reported to the Fair Work Ombudsmen.

"As far as we know, there has been no complaint made."

Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters will meet with Hazeldene's management next Tuesday to discuss employment practices.

Earlier this week, she said it was paramount Bendigo businesses gave job opportunities to locals first before engaging labour hire companies to fill staff shortages.