Union files for facilitation after AFFCO cancels mediation

Press Release: Meat Workers Union

Wednesday 18 2012 at 10am

Union files for facilitation after Talley's AFFCO cancels mediation

Talley's AFFCO has cancelled this Thursday's mediation with the Meat Workers Union as the lock out enters it's eight week.

Meat Workers Union general secretary Dave Eastlake says the union filed for facilitated bargaining this morning.

“Talley's refusal to attend agreed mediation this Thursday is yet another kick in the guts for the 1,000 locked out AFFCO workers and their families,” he says. “Talley's has consistently shown it is unwilling to resolve this dispute and get our workers back to work.”

“We can now confirm Talley's have dropped a pay offer that would have ended discrimination against union members by bringing their pay rates up to those on individual contracts. AFFCO workers have absolutely no doubt the lockout is about punishing workers for standing up and wanting a collective voice at work.”

The company says it can't attend mediation because it is too busy working on the union's legal challenge to the lockout, which will be heard at the Auckland Employment Court on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 of April.

“Talley's knew about the court case when they agreed to attend mediation. If they've got enough time and money to throw away on a public relations firm and to file false fraud claims against the union - which they knew would be rejected - then they've got enough time to sit down with AFFCO workers and get this thing sorted.”

Workers at the company's eight plants in Moerewa, Wiri, Horotiu, Rangiuru, Wairoa, Napier, Feilding and Whanganui will be holding meetings on Friday to discuss the union's next move.

Facilitated bargaining is the highest form of Government-assisted mediation and is only available to parties having serious difficulties in collective bargaining Unlike mediation, the facilitator actively assists the parties and makes non-binding recommendations.

Mr Eastlake says the union filed for facilitation on the basis of a protracted lockout.

ENDS

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