Locked out family hopes to talk to company at mediation today

Press release: Meat Workers Union

Thursday 12 April 2012, 8am

Locked Out Family Hopes To Talk To Company At Mediation Today

Five of Laurie Nankivell's children were up at 5am this morning, ready for a three hour drive to South Auckland where they hope to talk to Talley's AFFCO at today's union mediation, 9am, Telstra Clear Center at 770 Great South Road, Manukau.

Mr Nankivell, a locked out meat worker from Talley's AFFCO Moerewa in the Far North, says he wanted to bring all of his eight kids, but they wouldn't fit in his car and it would be too noisy.

“My family wants an opportunity to speak to Talley's AFFCO management face-to-face so they can hear the real cost of their lockout,” he says. “It's not just me and my kids that are suffering, our small rural town was already struggling and our local businesses rely on our income. We just want to get back to work so life can go back to normal for everyone.”

If mediation doesn't go well today, Mr Nankivell's children will lead a march tommorow, Friday 13 April, from 8:30am from the Moerewa Rugby Club, up State Highway One to the freezing works at the other end of town. Locked out workers and their families will be joined by local community members and some local businesses that will close for the march.

Mr Nankivell says a complaint by the company to the Serious Fraud Office, which has already been dismissed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, is a publicity stunt designed to take the focus away from locked out families.

“This may all be a publicity stunt for Talley's AFFCO, but not being able to feed my kids isn't a stunt,” he says.

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Despite media coverage, no workers are currently on strike outside the plant. There is an overtime ban and a ban on training replacement labour for locked out workers in force.

ENDS

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