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Media Advisory: Bargaining in The Metals

Monday, 23 February 2004, 5:09 pm
Press Release: Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union

February 23, 2004

Media Advisory

Bargaining starts tomorrow (Tues, Feb 24) in the country’s most influential industrial document.

The Metals and Manufacturing Industries Collective Agreement (known as The Metals) is New Zealand’s largest private-sector multi-employer collective agreement. The current document covers more than 2000 workers at more than 200 companies, and is recognised as setting the benchmark for wages and conditions across the manufacturing sector (see Harbridge/Walsh, Victoria University).

The Metals is an example of the type of successful multi-employer collective agreement which amendments to the Employment Relations Act are designed to promote.

Workers around the country have held a series of stopwork meetings to discuss claims and tactics in the build-up to the negotiations.

The agreement is negotiated by the EPMU, representing workers, and the Employers’ and Manufacturers’ Association. The talks will be held in Auckland.

The union’s chief advocate will be its Auckland assistant regional operations director, Bill Newson. Newson will not be able to speak to the media while talks are under way.

Regular updates and background information can be found on our website, www.epmu.org.nz

What: Bargaining in The Metals
When: From Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Where: Auckland

EPMU - Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union

Proudly representing New Zealand workers

The EPMU is a democratic union representing over thirty thousand members in ten industries across New Zealand.
By standing together in a union workers get higher wages and better conditions.
As the country's biggest private sector union the EPMU can provide members with workplace representation, legal advice, a freephone support centre, work rights education and broad representation through the EPMU's campaigning and research work.
We campaign for fairness at work and a strong economy based on skilled jobs and investment in manufacturing.

CONTACT EPMU - ENGINEERING PRINTING AND MANUFACTURING UNION

Website - www.epmu.org.nz/
Media Contact - Stephanie Rodgers
Twitter - @EPMU

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