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Affco’s 700-worker lockout callous

Sunday, 26 February 2012, 12:13 pm
Press Release: Green Party

Affco’s 700-worker lockout callous

Affco’s plan to lockout 762 workers from five sites on Wednesday is an appalling reaction to its disagreement regarding workers’ rights, says the Green Party.

Green Party industrial relations spokesperson Denise Roche said Talley’s Group Limited, which owns Affco, had an awful record of mistreating workers and could not be trusted to negotiate a collective employment contract in good faith.

“The workers shouldn’t have to accept the casualisation of their jobs for Talley’s to agree to the collective employment contracts,” Ms Roche said.

Talley’s demands included forcing staff into working with flexible rosters and shift hours, and having no guarantee of work.

“It’s appalling that such a profitable company is using its might to bully low-paid staff into accepting such unreasonable terms of employment.

“Imagine what it’s like living day-by-day not knowing whether you can make enough money to feed your family.”

“Teachers and office workers wouldn’t put up with such callous demands, and neither should factory workers in small towns. No one should,” Ms Roche said.

“We condemn families to poverty when we take away the breadwinners’ assurance of work.”

Talley’s planned to lock out workers on Wednesday, February 29, from its North Island works in Moerewa, Manawatu, Imlay (Wanganui), Horotiu (Waikato) and Wairoa.

The lockout notice follows an 18 month dispute over the collective employment agreement.

The food giant last year recorded $21 million net profit.

The Employment Relations Authority this month ordered Talley’s-Affco to pay a $30,000 fine to the Meatworkers Union for blocking union representatives from its Awarua meatworks near Invercargill.

Ms Roche will today join the picket line at the Ports of Auckland where maritime workers are facing similar issues with threats to their livelihoods.

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