AFFCO meat workers begin two-day lockout strike
March 12: More AFFCO meat workers have begun the scheduled 48 hour strike this morning following the lockout of over 1000 workers locked out at the end of last month.
Around 700 Meat Workers Union members have begun striking since 5am this morning in support of the 1000 meat workers locked out since February 29.
Management at AFFCO are standing their ground on claims that production would not be halted due to the strikes as it has weathered similar strikes in the past.
The strike-affected meat processing plants include areas of Moerewa, Horotiu, Rangiuru, Wairoa, Fielding and Whanganui, with workers at the Wiri and Napier plants planning further strikes from Wednesday to Thursday later this week.
The dispute follows disagreements between management and the Meat Workers Union regarding policies over flexible hiring practices within the company.
This morning’s strike will continue until 5am Wednesday, where workers at Wiri and Napier will follow in their footsteps on the corresponding morning.
March 9: AFFCO meat workers from eight North Island meat-work plants will be coordinating a two day strike from early next week.
Members of the Meat Workers Union are also planning work bans on overtime as well as refusing to train new employees used to take over from workers locked out of the meat-work plants.
Union workers from the eight North Island plants including Moerewa, Wiri, Horotiu, Rangiuru, Fielding, Whanganui, Wairoa and Napier be initiating the strike from Monday through to the end of Tuesday next week.
National secretary of the MWU, Dave Eastlake, says in addition to the Monday-Tuesday strike, Wednesday and Thursday next week are also being considered as windows of opportunity to continue the strike.
March 6: Over 200 AFFCO meat workers have been locked out of their workplaces today following a nationwide strike late last week.
A further 213 meat workers have been barred from entering AFFCO's Rangiuru plant since 5am this morning.
The lockout of another 213 workers falls on top of last weeks 776 additional meat workers, bringing the total of those locked out to 989.
March 1: Unionised meat workers will tomorrow be demonstrating their support for meat workers who were locked out of Affco meatwork plants on Wednesday this week by organising a strike.
Affco chief executive Hamish Simson said there may be more than 1200 workers involved with tomorrow's strike, including the 776 workers locked out earlier this week.
Feb 29: More than 760 meat workers have been locked out of their meat processing plants today following failed attempts to settle union disputes during a meeting between meat processor AFFCO and the meat workers union yesterday.
AFFCO has issued a lockout notice to the workers, preventing union workers from entering the plants indefinitely, which commenced at 5am this morning.
Trio of major strikes this week
Feb 27: Unions have been gearing up for a big week of industrial action as strikes and lockouts are planned at three separate companies.
About 300 wharfies in the Maritime Union of New Zealand started their three-week strike at the Ports of Auckland on Monday – during peak export season.
It will be the longest strike yet in the protracted dispute, nearing its fifth month, which centres on port plans to contract out jobs.
Ports of Auckland says the strikes have disrupted more than $1 billion worth of trade and caused the loss of $25 million worth of business to the port.
Industrial tensions are back on the boil Affco New Zealand.
A lockout threat from the meat processor’s owner, Talleys Group, will affect more than 700 workers at five North Island meat processing plants on Wednesday.
Union members have been on strike over the last 18 months over conditions of the collective contract.
Later in the week, up to 1500 caregivers and nursing staff at the Oceania resthome chain across the country will join the action when they strike on Thursday.
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Comments and questions14
Basic Facts:-The employees have a job they like, paying good money. That is why they are there.. A self important, militant union is leading them astray. Management are still learning how to do their job and have been trapped by their mistakes (We are all human). The publicity given to this dispute has embarressed both sides and neither can move without loosing face. There are many spectators revelling in it. They will not help. Is the union representing the worker or using them?
Completely agree - the unions come from the background and philosophy of antagonism, confrontation & belligerent obstruction to suit their needs / cause.
They're always about bringing down, breaking, ending, demolishing - never about building, new ways of doing things, improved productivity, changing for the positive...
If the Unions really wanted to help their "members" and since the unions always have the answers and solutions when it's someone else having to fund these "solutions" - perhaps the Unions could form their own stevedoring companies and meat worker plants?
Then the Unions could show everyone else the "right way" of doing it, whilst employing school leavers at $20/hr+ and all profits would be returned to the Unions / Labour Party shareholders - so finally the Labour Party could pay back the tax payer the almost $1 Million dollars the Labour Party attmepted to rort in 2008 when they tried to rig the election - as the sitting government no less - and then needed to retrospectively change the law so as not to have to prosecute itself for theft / corruption / election rigging...
dear John When your pension is deflated and you do not get a living wage for service provided to and for your country and your wallet is stretched through no fault of your own maybe you will have some understanding. There is a bigger picture you need to lokk at so get your spectacles on
Oh you have Austerity measures too. I hope you don"t end up like Greece and have the elderly eating out of rubbish bins and people without a job jumping out of buildings.
lol you must work for Talleys Group
Well I for one would not want an individual agree with Affco/Talleys. To go from $20+/hr to near minimum wage?? I dont think so! To go from getting paid overtime to not getting paid overtime?? I dont dont think so! Affco are hiring unskilled workers while locking out skilled workers, this in itself is neglect of basic health and safety. and! and! making skilled workers not affected by the lockouts to TRAIN new workers? get real talleys. I for one will not buy any product relating to talleys/pams and whatever else they have their fingers in. Thank god for unions! Bring back the Labour Party, National government needs to GO!
Dear John Doe, the employees 'did' have a job they 'liked', they 'were' getting good money, and thats why they are not there! because talleys wants to change all of that. Management, not only at Affco, but across all sectors of our industries/businesses have too much brains and not enough common sense! lets hope for the good of all that common sense prevails :)
You pay union fees to have Unions represent you and bargin in good faith on your behalf but when parties dispute and act unreasonably then what more can you expect only winners or losers.
We are stuck with Corporate Greed this week. We can not solve the world’s problems with one stroke(strike) so let us take it one step at a time. If we give the watersiders regular, secure work that is a big step. One very private question. Ask yourself (1)how much do I really NEED and(2) how much do I want just because someone else is getting it. DO NOT tell anyone the answer because part (2) is childish greed and we all like to think that we are big boys now. We do not suffer from Corporate Greed. Think about it alone. (1 Corinthians 13:11)
Do you lot not know the difference between a lockout and a strike?
Hmmm most of the Union Members dont have a clue as to what they are fighting for, more money, less money, core agreement, who bloody knows. I was present at a march and Eric was going on about abulances and the unsafetyness of the plant...Even I was confused. The Union is just another organisation stealing from the misguided needy. Since this whole thing started two seasons ago there is nothing that the Union has done for its members other then lead them astray. The members that were locked out last year for six weeks used thier brains and made a compromise guess what NZMWU thier families are being fed, meanwhile there are 500+ others suffering because you dont want the truth to be told. The truth that you are all SHIT!! To all you work hungry members sign an IEA and then take the Union for all the fees you have paid, I'll be easily proven that they were wasted!
I dont know what shed your husband is from, or what information you's are being told - but us here at Horotiu know exactly what we are fighting for. We are fighting for the right to work in a SAFE enviroment - which Talleys have written into their Individual contract that they can speed up the chain and/or drop the manning (meaning that someone would have to do twice or even triple the workload they would normally do) which makes an already dangerous workplace even WORSE!
We are fighting to keep our wage as it is - not let the company drop it to minimum wage as they will be able to do if they break the union.
We are fighiting for the right to know when we start and finish work - which in the IEA agreement says they would be able to change start and finish times and they would consult us, but if we dont like it then tough shit! That is what we union hard people at Horotiu are fighting for.
We also fight for the rights of every single worker in this country. If Talleys can win this war then other companies will follow suite and we would all be living off a minimum wage.
But most of all - we are fighting for our children, grandchildren and the future generation. Because we dont wont to see our kids work under these conditions. Would you let your children and grandchildren be walked all over by these people???
As for your comment about the lockout for 6 weeks last year - i think you need to get your facts straight because that was a LAY OFF! One which the union took AFFCO to court over and WON. Affco was suppose to backpay every member they layed off but hasnt yet, they keep appealing the damn decision!
You really do need to get your facts straight before you go running your mouth because NZMWU has had their accounts checked over TWICE, once by the serious fraud office - and have come back squeaky clean. I suggest you sign a bloody IEA form since you sound like the type of person that lets somebody walk all over them and treat them like shit. I bet you would hope you had a union behind you then....
Just watch the truck and trailers from Southland come and grab all the stock for the workers with the right attitude?
Right attitude? These people who have been locked out have the right attitude! They are just working for the wrong company. Obviously there are no Affco/Talleys down south?? Hmmmmm? I bet my bottom dollar if there were affco plants in southland that they too will be locked out or striking?? Does that mean that they too have the wrong attitude?? Hmmmmm? answer me that!! before you start mouthing off about something you have no clue about!!