Strike Notice issued in Dairy Industry

Media Release – Dairy Workers Union

3 September 2009
For Immediate Release

Strike Notice issued in Dairy Industry

Workers at Waharoa Open Country Cheese site in the Waikato have voted for strike action because of a refusal by the Company to negotiate a fair collective agreement.

Members of the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union Te Runanga Wai U, employed at the factory, are set to strike for eight days from 16 September in an effort to gain a collective agreement and be treated fairly by their employer.

The Union is attending further negotiations with the Company with the assistance of a Mediator on Wednesday 9 September in an effort to reach agreement and avoid a strike.

The union and workers recognise the current difficult economic situation. We have modified our negotiating position by not claiming an across the board wage increase but are seeking better work conditions around restructuring , protecting hours of work and improving work conditions, and improving conditions for temporary workers. It is our belief that the company has set up a “sham” employment agency and has employed a large number of temporary/oncall workers to undermine collective negotiations and in the process risking the quality of the finished product.

Due to the company’s aggressive anti union anti worker stance the Union has already taken a case to the Employment Relations Authority with the Union winning the right to be onsite to represent workers. We also have ongoing legal action relating to the company’s intimidation of workers.

The NZDWU has a long history of working cooperatively with employers in the industry for mutual success and has not undertaken major industrial action for 20 years.

The Union will do its utmost to find a settlement at mediation to avoid disruption and calls on the company to negotiate a collective agreement in good faith.

ENDS

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