Rendezvous hotel workers locked out by bully employer

The Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota has condemned the Rendezvous hotel in Auckland for locking out their housekeeping staff, and has today filed an injunction seeking removal of the lockout.

The union says the action against locked out workers at the Rendezvous Hotel in Central Auckland is totally unjustified.

"We were astounded by the over-the-top reaction by the company in locking out our workers. After just one day of lawful strike action yesterday, the company has responded by physically locking them out of the workplace," says SFWU Northern Regional Secretary Jill Ovens.

"Rendezvous management should be ashamed of themselves for picking on these low paid workers. This is a four and a half star hotel, charging four and a half star rates for the rooms, and the workers who clean those rooms start on the minimum wage."

The union is warning the bully boy tactics will rebound on Rendezvous.

"By locking out their own staff, the company has made the workers even more determined to get a fair deal," says Jill Ovens.

The loyal and long-standing staff have not had a payrise for more than two years, and although their employer has made an offer, this is conditional on cuts in the workers' terms and conditions.

ENDS

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