18 December 2015

Bunnings workers in Wellington, Manawatu and Gisborne regions to strike

• Over 100 Bunnings workers in the Wellington, Manawatu and Gisborne regions have voted to strike for the rest of today;

• This follows a national strike on Wednesday where over 400 workers from the upper and central North Island and the South Island went on strike for the day;

• 50 Bunnings workers to picket outside Bunnings Porirua from 1.15pm to 2.15pm today. 25 workers to picket outside Bunnings Gisborne from 1.30pm to 2.30pm today.

Bunnings workers from 7 stores in the Wellington, Manawatu and Gisborne regions are walking off the job in protest at their employer’s refusal to compromise on rostering, says FIRST Union spokesperson Morgan Godfery.

“Bunnings workers are sending a very clear message: they want a fair say over their rosters.”

“Under the current agreement rosters can only be changed when both sides agree, that means fair give and take between managers and workers. But Bunnings CEO Jacqui Coombes wants to hand managers the power to simply impose rosters on the workforce.”

“This means rosters could chop and change with very little notice,” says Godfery.

“How are the mothers and fathers who work at Bunnings meant to plan for things like childcare when they won’t know what times and days they’ll be asked to work?”

“Bunnings workers aren’t numbers on a spreadsheet, they’re people who deserve the right to plan a life outside of work.”

ENDS

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